Did Colts Get New QB Option Following Recent Playoff Exit?

The Indianapolis Colts have a rocky quarterback situation, but an intriguing option may have become more realistic in the Minnesota Vikings' Sam Darnold.
Nov 3, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass against the Indianapolis Colts during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Nov 3, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass against the Indianapolis Colts during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
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Let me get you seasoned and ready for the 2025 Indianapolis Colts quarterback discussion:

There are no perfect answers.

The most likely option is that Anthony Richardson, who was benched for two games this season after his lack of desired preparation led to him "drowning" on the field, remains the starter but with adequate competition from his backup.

With Richardson and Joe Flacco under center, the Colts' passing game was often feast or famine, as Flacco struggled to avoid pressure while Richardson completed a league-worst 47.7% of his passes.

This offseason, the Colts could grab a veteran quarterback with some remaining longevity, like Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, or Andy Dalton. They could aim for a reclamation project, like Justin Fields, Daniel Jones, or Mac Jones (please know that Carson Wentz or Zach Wilson ain't happenin').

Or, a new option may have recently presented itself earlier this week as the Minnesota Vikings were bounced from the playoffs in crushing fashion by the Los Angeles Rams. May I interest you in Sam Darnold, anyone?

Again, this isn't a perfect option but it gives you a veteran player who is coming off a legitimate career, Pro Bowl season.

Darnold, who is still just 27 years old, is an impending free agent who experienced a career renaissance this year in Minnesota after being surrounded by head coach Kevin O'Connell, quarterback coach Josh McCown, and assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski.

Darnold was drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018 into a difficult situation, and his tenure floundered after three seasons, going 13-25 as the starting quarterback. He was then traded to the Carolina Panthers, which was an equally disjointed environment. He underwent a season of career rehab in 2023, signing with head coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers on a one-year deal.

Although Darnold was the backup in San Francisco, he garnered plenty of positive buzz in his time there, which he parlayed into an opportunity to start for the Vikings in 2024.

His first season up north became far and away his most productive time in the league, going 361-of-545 passing (66.2%) for 4,319 yards (7.9 YPA), 35 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a passer rating of 102.5. He also ran the ball 67 times for 212 yards (3.2 avg.) and another touchdown. Darnold perhaps would have been even more productive if not for injuries on the offensive line, which led to him being sacked the fourth-most times in the NFL (48), not including an incredible nine times in the loss to Los Angeles.

Darnold helped lead what was probably the best Vikings team in recent memory to the postseason and became a beloved member of the locker room along the way, completely changing the narrative of him as a player.

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It seems like an easy decision to bring back a guy who just played the best football of his career, but there are two big factors here. First, Darnold had two of his worst performances of the season over the final two games. In Week 18, the Vikings and Detroit Lions were playing for the NFC North title and the NFC's No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Then, Monday night's loss in the first round of the playoffs obviously ended a promising season for Minnesota.

The second and biggest reason that Darnold may not be back is the presence of quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who the Vikings selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Darnold and McCarthy were set to battle for the starting quarterback spot in training camp, but McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee, which required season-ending surgery. If the Vikings are ready to begin their future with McCarthy, then Darnold's presence could be in the way of that.

No one seems to know what the Vikings plan to do at quarterback between Darnold and McCarthy. McCarthy is obviously under contract for the foreseeable future, but Darnold would need to be re-signed to a much more expensive contract than he initially signed or be franchise tagged by Minnesota.

"The hard part is coming fast," wrote Albert Breer of SI.com. "The Vikings could franchise Darnold, at somewhere between $40 million and $45 million (based on projections), and kick the can down the road a year, like the Chargers did by tagging Drew Brees and keeping Philip Rivers in the bullpen in 2005. They could let him go to the market, and ask him to allow for them to match whatever offers are coming. Or they could just go with J.J. McCarthy."

NFL insider James Palmer of Bleacher Report has heard that Darnold's past two clunkers may not have deterred Minnesota from reinvesting in him.

"I talked to an executive in the AFC, an executive in the NFC yesterday, and they told me the same thing: there are too many quarterback-needy teams out there to have (Darnold's) market dramatically change even after these two games," Palmer said. "They both told me probably the perception of his turnaround has been altered more than his market. And it's because there's more teams and there's fewer quarterbacks."

When it comes to the Colts, general manager Chris Ballard has been faced with some hard truths in recent weeks, chief among them being that he has not done a good enough job of building competition throughout the building.

While this isn't the best offseason to need to address the quarterback position due to the lack of proven talent, you can't preach competition and accountability without bringing in competition at the most important position when your current starter is a player that you have concerns about.

Do the Colts have the motivation to want to sign someone like Darnold? Yes, if they feel they can get back to winning games consistently and perhaps get into the playoffs with a more productive quarterback. It doesn't have to mean the end of the Richardson era either, as they could give Richardson the time to sit and develop that they regret they didn't enact in 2023.

However, financially, could the Colts pull off a Darnold signing? They currently project to have $28.3 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap, but they could create about $30 million more in cap space with a few tough cuts from their roster.

In the end, this all boils down to if the Colts want Richardson to keep the keys to the car, or if they want someone steadier in the driver's seat for now.

Darnold almost certainly gives them a new driver.


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Jake Arthur
JAKE ARTHUR

Jake Arthur has covered the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts for a decade. He is a member of the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) and FantasyPros' expert panel. He has also contributed to multiple NFL Draft guides.