With clock winding down, Sam Darnold franchise-tag buzz isn't strong

Vikings have until 3 p.m. CT Tuesday to use the franchise tag. Raiders, Giants, Titans and Steelers may be logical suitors.

Dec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) walks off the field after the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Tick-tock, Minnesota Vikings. The clock to the franchise tag deadline is ticking and the alarm is going to sound at 3 p.m. CT Tuesday. Will Sam Darnold be tagged by then?

With the NFL Scouting Combine wrapping up in Indianapolis, the latest buzz from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler says there's "not much momentum coming out of the combine that the Vikings will franchise tag Darnold."

On top of that, Fowler says the Giants, Raiders and Titans are "among the logical options" to target Darnold in free agency. He's also throwing the Steelers in as a possible Darnold suitor.

If there are three or four teams who could get into a bidding war for Darnold in free agency, wouldn't it be wise for the Vikings to slap the non-exlclusive franchise tag on Darnold and trade him?

The risk would be paying Darnold $41.3 million if they can't find a trade partner. That would eat two-thirds of Minnesota's projected salary cap space ($61.3 million, per Over The Cap). It's a risk, but the alternative is losing him for nothing.

What if interested teams have told the Vikings that the $41.3 million franchise-tag price is too rich for their blood, and because of that they won't entertain the idea of trading for Darnold. In that case, the Vikings would have to decide whether those teams are bluffing. If they're not, then the Vikings could be putting themselves into salary cap jail.

Everything is hypothetical at this point, but news on Darnold should break within the next 72 hours.