Vikings legend Cris Carter thinks team should franchise tag Sam Darnold

The franchise tag window is officially open.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild-card game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 13, 2025. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With the franchise tag window officially open until March 4, the Minnesota Vikings have a decision to make on the future of quarterback Sam Darnold, who coming off the best season of his career headlines the free agent quarterback class.

The quarterback decision for the Vikings will be the hot topic for the coming months. Do they want to run it back with Darnold, who was fifth in the league in passing yards (4,319) and touchdown passes (35) while leading Minnesota to a 14-3 regular-season record, or hand the reigns to J.J. McCarthy, whom they drafted with the No. 10 overall pick in last year's draft to be their quarterback of the future. Either way, they're certainly considering using the franchise tag on Darnold.

If the Vikings were to tag Darnold, that would keep him in Minnesota for 2025 on a one-year deal worth approximately $41 million. That's a hefty contract, particularly if they're considering making it a quarterback competition with McCarthy this fall, but that would also give the Vikings leverage in a possible trade. Darnold is a clear standout in a weak free agent class, and even if Minnesota decided it's time for McCarthy under center, the Vikings likely get some compensation for Darnold.

That's part of the reason why legendary Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter thinks the team should place the franchise tag on Darnold. Carter doesn't think they can let Darnold walk after what he accomplished in his first season in Minnesota.

"I think they should keep both quarterbacks," Carter told Kay Adams on FanDuel TV's Up & Adams on Wednesday. "When you have quarterbacks that play well in your system like Sam Darnold did, I would not let him go in free agency. I would franchise him, pay him $41 million and let him and (McCarthy) have a competition come the fall. ... Franchise him because having a quarterback like Sam and the year he had, he will always be a commodity. You'd eventually be able to trade him."

The Vikings have the cap space to keep Darnold on the franchise tag, but the flip side of that is the talent they could lose out on if they commit $41 million to the quarterback. Up until the last week of the season and the NFC wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams, it appeared it'd be a no-brainer for the Vikings to keep Darnold on the franchise tag at a minimum. But Darnold struggled in those final two games of the season, which brought questions to whether he can beat the best.

"It is a lot of money and it's several good players that you could allocate the money for, but I think the best option at the beginning from a football, business standpoint — you can't just let him leave out the door having a spectacular season and let someone else sign him," Carter said. "The only way you're going to be able to trade him is to franchise him, so I would keep him there on the roster. Now, there's a lot of quarterbacks that we put in this status. And I"m not saying that he's Matthew Stafford, I'm not saying he's Jared Goff, but we always put quarterbacks that have struggled a little bit, 'Oh, now can they get to the playoffs?' We always move the goal line marker for them. That was an amazing season."

The Vikings have until March 4 to decide whether they want to place the franchise tag on Darnold. That would give them flexibility to trade him if they want to roll with McCarthy, or run it back if they determine McCarthy isn't ready to take over.

Time will tell what the Vikings decide.

From one Vikings receiver to another

Star Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson reminds Carter of Larry Fitzgerald, the legendary Arizona Cardinals receiver. Carter described Jefferson as someone a little "flashier," but said the two share an authenticity and both handle their business like consummate professionals. The elite work ethic is another similarity Carter says the two receivers share.

Carter told Adams that when he attended Vikings training camp last year, the first thing Jefferson asked him was whether Carter saw anything Jefferson could get better at. Carter, who watches Jefferson closely, offered him some advice.

"I said his only problem is he has so many good releases off the line of scrimmage that sometimes he tricks himself," Carter said. "Sometimes he releases and rereleases and he should just use his speed, one quick move and go and put the pressure on the defense. And he was like, 'Wow, you've been watching me.' No, absolutely, you’re my favorite guy. I watch everything that he does, so sometimes when you’re gifted and you’re shifty, and his releases off the line of scrimmage are amazing, but sometimes he tries to get too creative and allows the DB to catch up with him because of that creativity."

"And all the elite players, all the elite receivers that I’ve seen throughout their career, they kept yearning to get better at the craft, and that’s what he’s doing," Carter added.