Let's be honest, Sam Darnold had a rough game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10. Minnesota's starting quarterback threw three interceptions in the game which ended up as a 12-7 win thanks to special teams making four field goals.
Many fans and experts have started to sour on Darnold after initially praising his play earlier in the season. Despite the Vikings having a 7-2 record and exceeding all expectations through 10 weeks, there are some hot takes out there for what Minnesota should do at quarterback going forward.
Interesting quarterback idea for Vikings pitched by prominent NFL personality
An interesting idea for the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback situation was recently pitched by Pro Football Talk via NBC Sports. The concept involved replacing Darnold with a veteran free-agent quarterback for the remainder of the season.
Is it crazy to wonder what Kevin O’Connell could do with Ryan Tannehill down the stretch? Because it really looks like the Sam Darnold chariot has turned back into a pumpkin.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 10, 2024
For those who no longer think that Sam Darnold can lead the Minnesota Vikings this season, the idea of replacing him with Ryan Tannehill could be tempting. However, making a change like that in the middle of the season could also be extremely damaging to what the team has accomplished this far and the chemistry of the roster.
Darnold was never expected to take over the starting quarterback job for the Minnesota Vikings and look like the next Tom Brady. Fans knew he was going to make mistakes, but have an opportunity to prove that he isn't just a career backup.
When it comes to Sam Darnold, you have to take the good with the bad. There are times he will make great plays that impress football fans but there are also going to be plays that are frustrating and hurt the team's chances of winning the game.
Through nine games, Darnold has completed 68.6 percent of his passes and has a 17 to 10 touchdown to interception ratio. He has also fumbled six times and been sacked 26 times this season.
Although the idea of replacing Sam Darnold with Ryan Tannehill is interesting, it would create multiple issues. Benching Darnold would not help the salary cap situation and signing Tannehill would add to those problems. In addition, both veteran quarterbacks would be leaving the team after the 2024 NFL season anyway since the Minnesota Vikings should be ready to see what first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy has to offer the purple and gold moving forward.
The conversation might also have been different if the Vikings lost to the Jaguars in Week 10. Instead of moving on from Sam Darnold, the team needs to work with him to prepare for the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.