Exclusive: NFL insider Tom Pelissero opens door to Vikings holding Sam Darnold against his will
Sam Darnold is shaping up to be one of the biggest stories of the offseason. The Vikings' quarterback not named J.J. McCarthy, Darnold has left the team with a difficult choice. Do they double-down on the quarterback who gave them 14 wins or do they go all-in on the rookie they originally spend a first-round pick on?
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, NFL insider Tom Pelissero believes Darnold will ultimately stay put, suggesting that the Vikings might even employ a method of last resort to make it so.
"I would say on paper the most logical outcome of this is Sam Darnold still in Minnesota. JJ McCarthys missed his entire rookie season coming off knee surgery. They believe in him. They're not trading J.J. McCarthy. But there's no precedent for a guy missing an entire year of reps as a rookie and coming back and playing again like it hasn't happened," he said.
"All I know is Sam Darnold played the best football of his career under Kevin O'Connell. The last two games notwithstanding it makes sense for Sam Darnold. All things equal to come back it makes sense for the Vikings to bring him back. They won 14 games with him. .... They also have the franchise tag at their disposal if they choose to use it," he added.
According to Spotrac, the Minnesota Vikings' veteran went into 2024 with a one-year deal valued at just $10 million. Many of the quarterbacks who have logged at least one recent winning season are well over $50 million.
Trevor Lawrence, Dak Prescott, and Jared Goff are just a few such names.
Exploring Sam Darnold's odds of getting a raise in 2025
While there is plenty of talk about where Darnold could end up, his bottom line appears to be in line for a raise. While a franchise tag wouldn't allow him to go on the open market, it would be a significant raise. According to Over the Cap, Darnold would be projected to make more than $41 million if slapped with the franchise tag.
The tag would be just for 2025, so in theory Darnold could go into the season under a more expensive version of the contract he already is on. That would give J.J. McCarthy time to get fully recovered and in clear football shape, getting in line for if and when trouble hits Darnold's Vikings.
Either way, Sam Darnold is in line to make plenty of money, but will it come with a long-term guarantee?
If any of the above quotes are used, credit Sportskeeda.