The biggest conversation that fans of the Minnesota Vikings are having this offseason is a debate on who will be the team's quarterback for the 2025 NFL season. The purple and gold have some options, each with pros and cons.
Re-signing Pro Bowl passer Sam Darnold after a 14-win season makes sense, but the price tag attached to bringing him back for another year might be more than the Vikings' front office is willing to spend on the position this offseason.
Estimates on the contract that Darnold could get in free agency this offseason are all over the place. However, with former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy possibly ready to start, spending that much could be a scary move.
Recent report keeps the door cracked for Sam Darnold to re-sign with the Minnesota Vikings
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler recently shared a video on X that discussed the quarterback situation for the Minnesota Vikings and the possibility that Sam Darnold could return to the team for another run in 2025.
In the video, Fowler says he is told that the Vikings are open to doing a deal with Sam Darnold but a franchise tag is not the likeliest path. He adds that Minnesota's stance seems to be that they won't mortgage the future to re-sign him this offseason.
A tag could cost Minnesota around $40 million for the 2025 season while likely teams are willing to offer Darnold a multi-year deal with more guaranteed money to entice him into playing for a new team next season.
There was a good fit with Sam Darnold in the Minnesota Vikings locker room last year. Head coach Kevin O'Connell was able to make the former No. 3 overall pick of the Jets look like a potential quarterback a team could groom for their future.
If the Vikings didn't have J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings, bringing Sam Darnold back would be a much simpler decision. The 27-year-old quarterback threw 35 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions while completing 66.2 percent of his passes in Minnesota's offense last season.
Time will tell if Sam Darnold will be a hot commodity in free agency. Fans can't blame him if he decides to sign a massive multi-year deal with a more quarterback needy team this offseason instead of re-signing with the Minnesota Vikings, but you never know what will happen in this crazy league.