Steam Building Toward Sam Darnold Contract Extension with Vikings…

The Minnesota Vikings are trying to get their offseason started, but they cannot do so until they figure out what they are going to do with Sam Darnold. All week, at the NFL Combine, signals have been mixed, though most national insiders have held firm that the Vikings do not plan to use the franchise tag on him.

For some of us, that narrative has never made sense. Sam is the best quarterback available, in a QB market that has way more needy teams than it does competent starters. Yet, we’re supposed to believe there isn’t one team out there — out of the Raiders, Browns, Steelers, Titans or Giants — who wants to cut the QB line for Darnold?

Are we talking about the same MVP caliber QB who threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, with a 66.2% completion rate last season? Maybe Kwesi should tell other general managers that Sam is only 27 years old, that he is a former No. 3 overall pick and one of the best pure arm talents in the NFL…

Minnesota Vikings unlikely to tag Sam Darnold; Extension gaining steam…

Late Monday, the third Sam Darnold emerged as a much more realistic scenario than what most of us believed previously. According to both Adam Schefter (ESPN) and Ian Rapoport (NFL Network) below, the Minnesota Vikings still do not plan to franchise tag Sam Darnold, but an extension is still possible.

Then Tuesday morning, Rapoport doubled down on his report from Monday night, going on Good Morning Football and stating that the “there is still a possibility that [Darnold] is their starter” next season and that, “one of the really strong options is for Darnold to return to the Vikings on a deal that is a little under the franchise tag”.

The #Vikings are not expected to franchise tag QB Sam Darnold by Tuesday’s deadline, per me and @TomPelissero. But all parties are working through options to potentially keep him in Minnesota.

Darnold, who is set to hit free agency, has a situation best described as fluid. pic.twitter.com/q3A8iGkYEQ

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 4, 2025

From @GMFB: It's franchise tag day, as #Bengals WR Tee Higgins got his second tag, the #Cowboys are likely to franchise tag DT Osa Odighizuwa, and the #Vikings are not expected to tag QB Sam Darnold, but would like him back. pic.twitter.com/ibDQqKr4wH

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 4, 2025

“Here’s my understanding, and this is something I am reporting with my colleague, Tom Pelissero. [The Vikings] are not expected to franchise tag Sam Darnold today. There is still a possibility that he is their starter [in 2025]. In fact, there are various options here. One of the really strong options is for Darnold to return to the Vikings on a deal that is a little under the franchise tag. The two sides would like to work something out, no doubt.

If Darnold becomes free next week, he will likely be the top QB available. He is for sure going to have suitors. The Vikings would like him back, which would mean by the way, not yet for JJ McCarthy. Obviously, there’s a lot there. They would like to retain Sam Darnold, we’ll see if they’re able to do so.”

Ian Rapoport – Good Morning Football (NFL Network)

WTF is happening…?

This is obviously a very fluid situation. Obviously, these deeply plugged-in NFL insiders are being told by both the Minnesota Vikings and Sam Darnold that an extension is more likely than the franchise tag.

The obvious problem is the extreme 180 degree turnaround vs what we’ve been lead to believe for the last year, that Darnold is a bridge QB to JJ McCarthy and that head coach Kevin O’Connell is ready to hand him the reins, at some point in 2025.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Hire New Assistant Offensive Coordinator and QB Coach

So, are these most recent leaks legitimate? Or, are the Vikings hoping to use these reports for something else unexpected? We’ll be here to let you know, as soon as more reporting comes out on the situation.