Odds for 2025 Minnesota Vikings Starting QB Bring More Questions Than Answers

By Ezra Greenman |

Updated: Jan 16, 2025

Minnesota Vikings, Sam Darnold — Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 offseason has officially begun after a tough 27-9 loss in the Wild Card round on Monday night. With the season now behind them, the big question is: what’s next for the Vikings? One of the biggest storylines heading into the offseason is who will be under center come Week 1 of the 2025 season.

Who will be the Vikings’ starting quarterback in 2025? Will it be Sam Darnold, who led the team to 14 wins this season? Could it be second-year first-round pick JJ McCarthy, who was sidelined all of his rookie year with an injury? Or will someone else step up? The latest betting odds leave plenty of room for speculation.

Latest betting odds for Minnesota Vikings 2025 Week 1 starting QB

The sportsbook BetOnline.ag has put together some actual odds that you can place bets on. They’ve got odds for who will be starting for the Vikings in Week 1 and where Sam Darnold might end up playing next season.

Vikings QB Regular Season Week 1 2025

JJ McCarthy -200
Sam Darnold +140
Other +750

As of now, McCarthy is the frontrunner to start in Week 1 next season, but let’s not forget, it’s only January. His odds are solid, but he’s still within reach. Sam Darnold, sitting at +140 to be the Week 1 starter for the Vikings, is very much in the mix too.

What’s really interesting is that the “Other” option is sitting at +750. That means any quarterback not named Darnold or McCarthy could start for the Vikings in Week 1. Sure, it’s a long shot at those odds, but it almost feels like they’re leaving the door open for someone else to take the job.

Sam Darnold’s next team if not the Vikings

Giants: +400
Raiders: +550
Saints: +600
Steelers: +600
Seahawks: +600
Jets: +700
Colts: +750
Titans: +1200
Dolphins: +1200
Browns: +1200

Right now, the New York Giants are leading the pack as the favorites, outside of teams named the Vikings, to land Sam Darnold. However, plenty of other teams are still in the mix, with odds that are pretty similar.

It’s worth pointing out that no team is sitting on minus money or standing out as the clear favorite to land Darnold. Based on the current odds, it feels pretty safe to say he’s likely to return to the Minnesota Vikings. That said, it’s still early, so things could change.

NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero joined KFAN this morning and shared his thoughts, saying that “the smart money” seems to be on Sam Darnold returning to Minnesota. Although, it was just speculation. Still, it does line up with what the odds are suggesting.

"I would still say, the smart money would be Sam Darnold being back in Minnesota."

–@TomPelissero on the outlook for the @Vikings at QBpic.twitter.com/gF6kHQZzFA
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) January 16, 2025

The season just wrapped up a few days ago, but the offseason is already shaping up to be pretty exciting for Minnesota Vikings fans. There’s plenty to look forward to in the coming months, with lots of cap space to work with and an intriguing situation at quarterback.