Sam Darnold rumors: Franchise tag unlikely, Raiders focused on Stafford?

Ten more days. That's how long we've got left until the start of the NFL's legal tampering period on March 10. And when that date hits, a resolution to the Sam Darnold situation is expected to happen quickly.

Until then, all we can do is continue to sift through the latest rumors regarding the Vikings' polarizing Pro Bowl quarterback and his future. Here's what we've got...

Vikings unlikely to use franchise tag?

There's been a lot of discussion around the idea of the Vikings using the franchise tag on Darnold in order to trade him for draft capital. Because the tag is just north of $40 million, that's something Minnesota would presumably only do if it had a deal worked out with a team that wants to avoid a free agency bidding war and ensure it lands Darnold.

But that might be a lot easier said than done. In order to tag and trade Darnold, there has to be at least one team interested in acquiring him on essentially a one-year, $40 million deal.

"My expectations, and from what I've heard, is the Vikings do not anticipate on tagging Sam Darnold at this point," The Star Tribune's Andrew Krammer said on the Vikings Happy Hour show. "From what I've heard, it's because they do not intend to keep him on the tag, and trading him on the tag proves to be pretty difficult."

The franchise tag deadline is on Tuesday, March 4. If the Vikings can work out a tag-and-trade situation that lands them at least a fourth-round pick in this year's draft, it's probably worth doing. But it sounds like the more likely scenario is that Darnold hits free agency, which would put Minnesota in line to potentially receive a 2026 compensatory pick.

Raiders only focused on Stafford?

One of the teams that has long been rumored as a potential landing spot for Darnold in free agency is the Las Vegas Raiders, who desperately need a quarterback. But recent reporting makes it sound like their focus is on Matthew Stafford, whose situation with the Rams is the other big quarterback domino that has to fall soon. Stafford could still return to LA, but the Raiders and Giants appear to be strongly pursuing his services.

Update: Stafford is, in fact, returning to the Rams on a restructured deal.

If the Raiders don't end up with Stafford, where will they turn instead? This excerpt from The Athletic makes it sound like they don't plan on signing Darnold to a big contract:

"If the Raiders don’t land Stafford, it’s unlikely that they’ll make a large financial commitment to another veteran quarterback who’s expected to be available this offseason, according to league sources."

If that proves to be the case, that would be one team off the market for Darnold. If Stafford returns to the Rams, which seems to be growing in likelihood, they'd obviously be out of the running. That would leave teams like the Giants and Steelers as perhaps the most obvious landing spots, with the potential for the Titans, Jets, and others to be involved as well.

Darnold returning to Minnesota still seems unlikely, but perhaps there's a world where it's possible if his market isn't as robust as expected.

Vikings unlikely to use franchise tag?

Raiders only focused on Stafford?

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