Raiders Potential QB Target Sam Darnold Will Not Get Franchise Tagged

The biggest hole to fill for the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason is the quarterback position. The Raiders will have a chance of doing that this offseason. They have not had stability at the quarterback position over the last couple of seasons.

Head coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek, and Raiders minority owner Tom Brady will be the ones leading the charge to find the next franchise quarterback for the Silver and Black.

The Raiders also have the option of finding their 2025 quarterback in free agency which begins in a couple of weeks.

Raiders' potential quarterback target Sam Darnold will not be franchise tagged by the Minnesota Vikings ahead of today's deadline. Darnold will hit the free agent market and the Silver and Black are one of the favorites to land the former No. 3 overall pick.

"The Minnesota Vikings won't squat on. Sam Darnold's rights heading toward free agency," said Senior News Writer Kevin Patra.

"The Vikings are not expected to franchise tag the quarterback ahead of Tuesday's deadline, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Monday night, per sources informed of the situation."

The Raiders can go after Darnold and have a lot to offer him. But just because the Vikings will not franchise tag him does not mean they are letting him go. The Vikings are looking at options of bringing Darnold back.

"The Vikings have said, dating back to last year, that they'd like to keep Darnold," added Patra. "However, McCarthy's presence makes a true lucrative long-term contract unlikely. Coming off the best year of his career, the Darnold could cash in on a big deal as the best signal-caller entering free agency. In a year that also is believed to be shallow from a draft perspective, the 27 year old has leverage few quarterbacks enjoy."

"If he's not poised to get a game-changing payday on the open market, the Vikings could be a cushy option for the veteran entering Year 8. He'd likely compete with McCarthy for the starting gig, and if the youngster isn't physically ready, Darnold would continue to manage an offense that he knows and is comfortable in."

If the Raiders lose out on Darnold in the free agency, they will have other options to look at and can also draft a quarterback in April.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE