Here in Minnesota, the 2025 offseason hinges on one domino that needs to fall before any other major moves can be made when the new league year begins next month. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell must decide whether or not to re-sign, tag or let their Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold walk in free agency.

While it is possible Darnold returns to Minnesota next year for an encore performance to his 66.2% completion rate, 4,319 passing yards and 35-to-12 TD/INT ratio from 2024, but the likelihood isn’t high. Whether via trade or free agency, it’s much more likely Sam will be wearing a different football uniform in 2025. But what jersey will that be?

If Sam Darnold leaves the Minnesota Vikings where does he land?

Well… according to Adam Schefter (ESPN), there is one “team to watch” in the Sam Darnold sweepstakes, as this offseason gets going and it’s the Las Vegas Raiders. Tom Brady’s new team feels like it’s a QB away from being pretty good. Thus, it makes sense they’re eyeing the best unrestricted free agent quarterback scheduled to hit the market.

Russell Wilson or Justin Fields? 🤔
Sam Darnold to Las Vegas? 👀
Rodgers to run it back in New York? ✈️ @AdamSchefter lays out some off-season storylines to look out for. pic.twitter.com/EvNPTwxzNP

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 9, 2025

“The Vikings have said that they’d like to bring [Sam Darnold] back but that is not going to be cheap. The franchise tag remains an option. One team that I would watch with Sam Darnold moving forward would be the Las Vegas Raiders. I think at some point in time, they’re likely to have some interest in trying to bring Sam Darnold to Las Vegas, we’ll see if they can make that happen.”

Adam Schefter – ESPN

The number of teams interested in Sam Darnold is pertinent information for Vikings fans, and not just because he’s worn a purple jersey. The number of teams courting Sam Darnold is directly related to how big his competing contract offers will be. That, in turn, affects how likely it is Minnesota will get something in return for losing a top-15 QB who is only 27-years-old.

All signs point to JJ McCarthy being healthy and ready to compete for the Minnesota Vikings QB1 role this offseason and into training camp. If true, it’s difficult to imagine Darnold — who could make $30-$40 million per year (for multiple years) on the open market — would choose to return to the Vikings on a short term deal where he has to compete for a starting job.

MN Vikings could franchise tag Sam Darnold

That’s why, if the Vikings want to block Sam from leaving in free agency, but don’t want to pay him long term, they’ll likely have to franchise tag him. Placing the franchise tag on Darnold would force him to return on a one-year deal worth about ~$40 million. Once tagged, he can also be traded.

Related: NFL Insider Confirms When JJ McCarthy is Expected Back for Vikings

If the MN Vikings want immediate value back for Sam leaving, the franchise tag is their only realistic option. That’s a bit risky, though, because if they tag him and can’t find a trade partner willing to meet their price after, they’d be left stuck with a $40 million QB they don’t want long term and an unnatural-feeling QB competition in training camp that nobody involved wants to be a part of.

Las Vegas Raiders hire former Minnesota Vikings OC Norv Turner

Then, word came out that head coach Antonio Pierce was planning to hand offensive coordinator and play-calling duties to passing game coordinator Scott Turner. who used to be an assistant coach with the Vikings, when his dad Norv Turner was the Vikings’ OC.

And speaking of Norv, news broke on Tuesday that he is coming out of retirement to come help his son run the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense, now that Getsy is gone. You read that right. The 72-year-old Norv Turner is returning to the NFL.

The #Raiders are hiring one of the NFL’s most respected offensive minds, bringing in Norv Turner as an assistant to help guide their offense, per me, @MikeGarafolo and @TomPelissero.

The ex-#Raiders HC is back with the team, as his son Scott takes a more prominent role, too. pic.twitter.com/6k7185yuTC

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 5, 2024

Around the NFL block

Norv Turner was never a head coach for the Minnesota Vikings. He does have 15 years of NFL head coaching experience, though. He went 114-122-1 as an NFL head coach. His first head job came in Washington, from 1994 to 2000.

Then, he was hired by the Raiders (back when they were in Oakland) for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. After one year without a head coaching job (2006), Turner was hired by the San Diego Chargers. He enjoyed his second-longest as a head coach with the Chargers, from 2007 to 2012.

Related: Patriots Signing Offensive Lineman Off Minnesota Vikings Practice Squad

Norv’s first coordinator job in the NFL came in Dallas, where he was OC from 1991 to 1993. In total, Norv Turner has piled up 28 years of coordinator/head coaching experience in the NFL. That is what the Raiders are adding to their locker room. Oh, and he is the father of their new interim offensive coordinator, Scott Turner. That helps too.

Norv was with the Vikings from 2014 to 2016, before he quit mid-season after an altercation with Mike Zimmer. Then, he stopped at Carolina for two seasons (2018-2019). He’s been out of the NFL for five years… but not anymore.

He quickly bounced back to show those in attendance and watching from afar why his football brain and mentality is just as exciting as his physical talent. He knew what he did wrong, dumped the emotions before they scarred his judgement, and moved onto the next drive.

JJ McCarthy looked good in his first game as a Minnesota Vikings QB

In the throws that followed his interception, the 2024 No. 10 overall pick looked sharp, accurate and showed off his rocket-arm multiple times. When the dust settled, McCarthy finished 11-of-17 for 188 yards, 2 touchdowns and just the one early INT.

Highlights of JJ McCarthy's preseason debut pic.twitter.com/ywRbZnSw6F

— Jake B 〽️ (@MichFootballBEL) August 11, 2024

Related: Drastic Changes Coming to Jordan Addison’s Contract with Vikings, if Suspended

Just about everybody watching the Minnesota Vikings vs Las Vegas Raiders game on Saturday came away impressed by what they saw from JJ McCarthy. And that’s not limited to fans or coaches who were cheering and/or wearing purple.

Las Vegas Raiders impressed by McCarthy too

According to Albert Breer (SI), the Las Vegas Raiders left U.S. Bank Stadium praising what they saw from the Vikings’ rookie QB too. Specifically, Raiders officials told the well-respected NFL insider that JJ’s athleticism and decisiveness stood out most.

Raiders folks thought [JJ McCarthy] played really well against them. In particular, his athleticism and decisiveness stood out, good signs since the biggest questions facing the 10th pick in April’s NFL draft concerned how he’d look outside a Michigan scheme that leaned heavy on a dominant run game.

Albert Breer – Sports Illustrated

Given everything we have heard, and seen, from McCarthy through his first few months as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, fans may be able to exhale slightly. We still do not know what the Michigan product will become, or how we will see him 10 years from now.

Related: New Name Emerging in Minnesota Vikings RG Battle?

But after one preseason game, and months of practices under his belt, I think it’s safe to assume we have avoided worst case scenario with this 1st round rookie QB. He is not Christian Ponder. That doesn’t mean he is going to be the next Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen… but he doesn’t appear to have a lot of “bust” in him either.

Still, neither of Minnesota’s two 1st-round picks (11, 23) is expected to be high enough to land the QB prospect Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell covet most. That means the Vikings will likely have to complete another blockbuster trade up the draft board to land someone like Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, or J.J. McCarthy.

What teams are Minnesota Vikings keeping on watch during draft?

So, if the plan is to trade up, which teams do the Vikings need to make sure they jump ahead of in order to make that happen? Here’s a quick snapshot of how the 2024 NFL Draft order stands right now:

1. Chicago Bears
2. Washington Commanders
3. New England Patriots
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. New York Giants
7. Tennessee Titans
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears
10. New York Jets
11. Minnesota Vikings
12. Denver Broncos
13. Las Vegas Raiders

Don’t expect anything in top four picks

We think we can cross both Chicago and Washington off the list right away now. Chances are, the Bears won’t pass up on the opportunity to draft Caleb Williams, who some regard as a ‘generational talent.’

The same likely goes for Washington, after they traded last year’s starter Sam Howell to Seattle, leaving Marcus Mariota as their top internal option. In other words, they have to go QB at No. 2, right? You’d think so… but NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah thinks the Commanders are more likely to trade back than the Patriots..

“I believe that it’s likely that Washington stays and takes one of those two guys. But I would think Washington, of the two, would be more likely to at least listen because of what they need on that roster and where they are.”

“Between those two, from Washington and New England, it feels to me like Washington would be the one that maybe would at least listen to what these offers are.”

Daniel Jeremiah on the Josh Gelb Show (quote via @vikesinsider – X)

There have been some reports swirling since the Vikings originally made their trade yesterday, that New England at No. 3 could be the team to partner with the Vikings. But does that make sense for the Patriots, who are in a similar situation to Washington (Mac Jones already traded, leaving the recently signed Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe).

Related: Reports Suggest Vikings are Targeting Patriots’ No. 3 Overall Pick and… Drake Maye

Why would these teams pass on possible DUDES like Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, in exchange for backup quarterbacks. This is supposed to be an all-time QB class. There’s a reason why we believe the Vikings are desperate to move up.

Opportunities at franchise-changing quarterbacks don’t come around very often, especially if you already hold a pick to take one, without leveraging future assets. In other words, I don’t expect the Patriots to move off from No. 3, just like I don’t expect the Commanders to move off of No 2.

Then, you get to Arizona, where Kyler Murray is entrenched as the franchise QB. Some experts see them as a perfect fit with the Vikings at No. 4 but you gotta have two to tango and if the Cardinals made a deal with the Vikings to move all the way back to 11, they will miss out on Marvin Harrison Jr.

The Cardinals may welcome another trade down the board to accumulate more first-rounders as they attempt to assemble difference-makers around Murray.

Jeff Howe – The Athletic

Sure, I get Howe’s point. But the Cardinals biggest need is at wide receiver, especially after letting Hollywood Brown sign in Kansas City. Harrison Jr is seen as the best non-QB prospect in the draft, a rare “sure thing”. Passing up on a sure thing at a position of need, especially a position as important as WR? That sounds like a great way to get fired. In other words, I’m not convinced the Cardinals want to make a deal with the Vikings either.

Positions 5-10 are all great landing spots for whoever wants QB most

To me, shit gets real at pick number 5. That’s where you start to get teams that are going to be most willing to trade back. At No. 5, the Los Angeles Chargers have Justin Herbert, who isn’t going anywhere.

No. 5 – Chargers: You can ignore those crazy crackpot theories that Jim Harbaugh is so in love with J.J. McCarthy that he could convince the GM to trade a proven commodity in Herbert for a chance to start over. It’s not happening. That’s why this is the first prime trade up partner for the Minnesota Vikings and could help explain yesterday’s trade.

The Chargers need to pull themselves out of salary cap hell and using more first round picks to fill positions of need with high-end, cheap talent seems like a great way to make that happen. In return, the Vikings get (likely) JJ McCarthy.

I talk this morning to people… JJ McCarthy could overtake Drake Maye – Mel Kiper Jr.

Giants may have to TRADE UP if they want JJ pic.twitter.com/f28ysptulV

— Marshall Green (@MarshallGreen_) March 8, 2024

No. 6 – Giants: There’s been a lot of talk about the Giants picking a QB at six, but we’re not buying those smokescreens. Again, they have far more pressing needs and they’ve openly committed to Daniel Jones for at least one more season. They’re blaming themselves for trying to ruin Jones, essentially. Here’s Giants co-owner John Mara explaining how his team has done everything possible to set up their young QB to fail.

Related: 2024 Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft – 3.0 w/Two First-Round Picks

#Giants co-owner John Mara on Daniel Jones: “We do feel Daniel can play. We’ve done everything possible to screw this kid up.”

Points to coaching/coordinator changes, O Line struggles. Says they need to get everything right around Jones and then make an “intelligent evaluation.”

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 26, 2022

After signing Jones to a $160-million contract last offseason, it would be maniacal to move on from him just 12 months later. Again, that’s how you get fired, real fast. Instead, expect the Giants to take the best receiver available to finally pair their dual-threat QB with a true threat, especially now that Saquon Barkley has left for greener pastures.

Otherwise, whichever rookie the Giants draft would be surrounded by an incompetent cast of skill position players, which again, would be setting him up to fail too.

Let’s get this out of the way: Daniel Jones is expected to be the New York Giants’ starting quarterback as soon as he’s healthy enough to assume the role.

The arrival of Drew Lock didn’t change that sentiment, though Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider surely added some confusion to the situation Thursday during a radio appearance on Seattle Sports 710AM.

Jeff Howe – The Athletic

No. 7 – Titans: At No. 7, the Titans are moving forward with Will Levis, who their GM traded up to select No. 33 overall in 2023. After showing positive signs across nine starts as a rookie, it’s far too early to move on from the 24-year-old now. They’re not even thinking about a QB yet.

No. 8 – Falcons: We know what the Falcons are in for. Kirk Cousins is the starter, and now they’ve traded places with the Vikings, where they’ll be heavily scouting quarterbacks for the next two to three years, but drafting one now is out of the question for a team that believes they can win now. This is another prime trade-down candidate.

Related: 10 Best Minnesota Vikings QBs of All-Time

No. 9 – Bears: We’ve seen Adofo-Mensah execute inner-division trades before, and while the fans don’t seem to understand it, there’s no reason not to negotiate. But the Bears aren’t taking another QB at No. 9. However, again, this could be a team who trades down, but they may see more value in grabbing one of the top offensive tackles, pass rushers, or receivers available.

No. 10 – Jets: The Jets have Aaron Rodgers, and we can’t imagine he’d be too happy seeing his team take a QB in the first-round when everyone knows their window to compete is very limited. We wouldn’t expect a trade down either, they’ll likely take the best prospect available, such as a wide receiver or pass rusher.

Then, we finally get to the Vikings, who could now be in a prime position to take a QB right here, but it’s not that simple. If there’s a prospect the front office is 100% convinced can be their next franchise QB, then they must do everything possible to land him, even trading up to ensure no one behind them jumps ahead.

Teams that may want to jump the Vikings for a QB

No. 12 – Broncos: At No. 12, we have the Denver Broncos, who are the most QB-needy team in the NFL right now. They’re not going into a season with Jarrett Stidham, who some call the NFL’s worst starting QB.

From the looks of things, #Broncos might be best served to see what kind of quarterback they get in the draft before looking again for a possible veteran quarterback. What's left now isn't any better than Jarrett Stidham, so they could evaluate him and the rookie in spring drills

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) March 14, 2024

Yet, after making blockbuster trades for Russell Wilson and Sean Payton, the Broncos may not have the draft capital to swing a massive move up the board. Owning picks 12 and 76 doesn’t come close to owning 11 and 23, as the Vikings do. The Broncos could always get aggressive and offer a future first-round pick too.

However, teams always value what you can offer them now over what gets delivered in the future, meaning the Vikings’ offer of two immediate first-round picks may be valued more than one now, and one later, depending on if the team they’re trading with is focused on winning now, or building for the future.

Related: Vikings Reportedly Offered Kirk Cousins a Multi-Year Deal with Guarantees in Year-2

No. 13 – Raiders: The same goes for the Raiders at No. 13. Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O’Connell are not the future in Las Vegas. Yet, since they’re so far back here in the draft, the Raiders didn’t have a choice but to make other plans in free agency.

#Raiders Decided with signing Minshew they're not mortgaging picks to trade into Top 3-5 for a QB. Even with the AP connections to Jayden Daniels, they'll look at Tier 2 QBs in Rd 2. Perhaps get creative if they like Penix or Bo Nix. 13, it's Corner or Texas DT Byron Murphy II.

— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) March 15, 2024

However, that doesn’t mean they won’t be one of the NFL’s most aggressive teams when considering a trade up. They have much more draft capital than the Broncos, possessing the 13th, 44th, and 77th pick, and if they toss in a future first, that’s a lot of ammo. But still not more than the Vikings’ offer of 11 + 23, plus whatever else Adofo-Mensah is willing to pay.

In summation, it’s hard to know exactly what will shake out between now and April 25, which might be why we saw a trade yesterday, but no additional trade up into the top-5, like many expected. The Vikings may have to move to #5… but there is a world where they only have to move a couple of spots, or they don’t have to move at all.

It’s a dangerous game, though. If you buy that there is a HUGE dropoff, after JJ McCarthy, then living in a world where someone surprises you or you’re outbid in a trade up by the Broncos, the Vikings would theoretically have a big problem on their hands, leaving them with lower tiered options such as Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix.

Davante Adams wants Kirk Cousins as his quarterback?

During the show, Adams was asked a bunch of questions about his career and his current situation with the Raiders. But then, Theoharis asked Davante, if he could catch passes from any quarterback in the league other than Aaron Rodgers, who would it be?

Adams hesitated in his response and changed the question a little bit, but said that there are a couple of QBs he has his eyes on right now (remember, Vegas is without a clear starting QB). After a light chuckle, Davante started talking about how much he likes Kirk Cousins and his possible availability (10:30 mark – transcribed below).

“I’ll say this… there’s a couple of quarterbacks I really like. If we’re talking about a dude that can just find somebody, I mean, I like Kirk Cousins. I think Kirk Cousins is a really good quarterback. As far as availability, I think Kirk’s a good player.”

Davante Adams

Kirk Cousins To Las Vegas?

As of Tuesday, we haven’t heard much for rumblings of Cousins to Vegas. But the Raiders have a need at QB and Kirk Cousins is set to become a free agent in mid-March. So if their superstar wide receiver is eyeing a new QB1, you can bet Raiders decision makers will listen.

Related: 3 Reasons Why Re-signing Kirk Cousins is Obvious Move for Vikings

Cousins has mentioned many times that he will prioritize winning, while deciding where to play next season. Have the Raiders built a good enough roster to reel Kirk in? Maybe not, but money and great wide receivers have a way of convincing QBs into things they might not be interested in otherwise.

The Raiders took the interim tag off Antonio Pierce recently, and former Chargers GM Tom Telesco was just named their next general manager. If Telesco’s mission is to make the Vegas roster as competitive as possible in 2024, there’s probably not a better QB option than Kirk Cousins, should he make it to free agency.

Davante Adams to Minnesota Vikings?

Who knows what GM Kwesi Adofo Mensah is up to today, hopefully off somewhere trying to figure out the best way to make sure Justin Jefferson, Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter are all under contract next season. Because if Davante Adams openly wants to catch footballs from Kirk, you can guarantee there are a lot of others who are dreaming about the same thing.

Related: Kirk Cousins Expects Achilles to be Full Go by OTAs

During this season, Adams showed his frustration within the organization, and many thought he would be traded, but wasn’t. Anything can happen in the NFL and it’s shown the last few years, so who knows. We are in for an entertaining offseason.

But if the Minnesota Vikings are making plans to let Kirk walk away this offseason, they’re doing a great job of hiding it. Today, they posted a featured video of Cousins participating in their ‘Ready. Set. Send’ campaign, in partnership with TCO Orthopedics.

Love from Kirko 💜@kirkcousins8 took the fan-player experience to another level, by surprising a pair of fans who wrote to him as part of @twincitiesortho's Ready. Set. Send. campaign. pic.twitter.com/7CE27sdtFZ

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 23, 2024

KOC announced publicly, following Dobbs’ four interception performance in week 12 vs Chicago, that the Vikings would be reassessing their QB1 situation early on during their mid-season week off, before ultimately deciding to stick with their newest QB as starter.

Related: Is Kevin O’Connell Making a Mistake by Starting Josh Dobbs?

Las Vegas Raiders’ in-season coaching problems

But Minnesota’s QB problems don’t compare to what their week 14 opponents were dealing with while they “enjoyed’ the same week 13 bye. Around the same time the Vikings lost their starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, the Raiders fired their head coach, Josh McDaniels.

For his interim replacement, Vegas promoted longtime New York Giants linebacker, Antonio Pierce, to head coach. Pierce was hired as the team’s linebackers coach before the 2022 season. After winning his first two games vs both New York teams (30-6 vs NYG, 16-12 vs NYJ), Pierce and the Raiders lost their next two games, leading up to their bye week.

Interim Antonio Pierce Brings in Head Coaching Reinforcements to prepare for Minnesota Vikings

So during their bye week, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Pierce brought in three big name former NFL head coaches, Tom Coughlin, Marvin Lewis and Adam Gase to help in “all aspects of the football operation”. The goal? Plug the leaks in Vegas’ sinking ship.

As Antonio Pierce’s on-the-job training as Raiders interim head coach continues, he’s tapping into the experience of several men who have been there before.

Sources say former NFL head coaches Tom Coughlin, Marvin Lewis and Adam Gase were all at Raiders headquarters this past week, sitting in on meetings and providing input on all aspects of the football operation amid preparations for the Raiders’ home game Sunday against the Vikings.

Tom Pelissero – NFL.com

According to Sportsnaut.com, Pierce has been leaning on Coughlin a lot since taking over as Raiders head coach. That makes sense, since Pierce played for the legendary leader in New York for five seasons (2005-2009). The two won a Super Bowl together in 2007.

Related: Dalton Risner’s Tik Tok Star Wife Impressed by Vikings Fans; Loves Life in Minnesota

Smart move bye Raiders interim head coach

I do not know if Pierce’s decision to bring in decades of head coaching experience to help him navigate what’s a brand new world for him will help the Raiders beat the Vikings… but I sure hope not.

What I do know, is how smart of move this is, in the longer term. Not only will it help Pierce steer Vegas’ crumbling organization to the 2023 finish line, but it helped him gain valuable coaching knowledge for his own future.

Minnesota Vikings QB controversy

Many, myself included, thought KOC’s remarks meant we were going to see Nick Mullens make his 2023 debut in Las Vegas vs the Raiders on Sunday. More recently, however, momentum has shifted back in Josh Dobbs’ favor, starting with a report by Dianna Russini over the weekend.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Playoff Odds – Week 14

Still, when offensive coordinator Wes Phillips met with reporters on Tuesday, he refused to divulge their plans at quarterback this week. Obviously, the Vikings know who they are going to start but hoped to hold the news back as long as possible, for competitive advantage purposes.

TJ Hockenson leaks Vikings’ plan to stick with Josh Dobbs

There’s one problem with their QB1 secrecy, however. Nobody told TJ Hockenson about the secret. So, when he was asked about Josh Dobbs, during a Toys for Tots drive at the Eden Prairie Scheels on Tuesday afternoon, TJ proceeded to tell a scrum of media members how excited he is for what the Josh Dobbs-led Vikings offense has in store for the the rest of the season.

While at today's Toys For Tots event benefiting families in need, #Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson spoke like someone expecting to play with QB Josh Dobbs Sunday at Vegas. Head coach Kevin O'Connell is expected to name his starting QB tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/sOgmruitjW

— KSTPSports (@KSTPSports) December 6, 2023

“Umm yeah, it’s been incredible. Obviously, Josh can do some things in the pocket, be able to scramble with his legs. Special player, special human, special person. Just to be out there on the field with him and continue some of the stuff we’ve been able to do on Sundays, it’s gonna be a lot of fun this next week and continue it on for the next five [games] and play as long as they’ll let us.”

Related: How Long is Josh Dobbs Leash as Vikings Starting Quarterback?

Unless their tight end is working the biggest troll job in QB quagmire history, I think we have our answer on who will start for the Minnesota Vikings, not just this week, but for the rest of the season. Buckle up, the Josh Dobbs rollercoaster continues on Sunday in Vegas.

Update (12/6 – 12:30 p.m.): Kevin O’Connell has officially named Josh Dobbs as the Vikings starting quarterback for week 14 vs the Las Vegas Raiders — READ MORE