Will the Vikings Secure a New Deal for Sam Darnold? Find Out What’s Next!

It’s a big week for the Vikings as Coach Kevin O’Connell recently stated that quarterback Sam Darnold has earned his chance to become a free agent. But will he actually get that opportunity? That’s the big question.

The Vikings have a deadline coming up on Tuesday to decide if they’ll use the franchise tag on Darnold. If they do, he’ll be set to earn $40.242 million for the 2025 season with that amount fully guaranteed. If they tag him a second time, that would jump to $48.29 million, totaling an impressive $88.532 million over two years. This is crucial to keep an eye on if the Vikings want to lock Darnold into a two-year deal.

Right now, it benefits Darnold to wait and see if he gets tagged. There’s really no need to rush into a deal when he could be tagged. The window for negotiating a long-term contract closes on July 15. If the Vikings decide to tag him without a deal, they can finalize things later.

Another factor to think about is rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was a first-round pick in 2024. The Vikings may want to use Darnold for the next couple of years before transitioning to McCarthy. But McCarthy might not want to wait that long. If he feels he should play sooner and asks for a trade, the Vikings could gain a valuable first-round pick, especially since some analysts believe he’s the top quarterback in this year’s draft class.

So, the key question is: will the Vikings tag Darnold by 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday? If they do, they could keep him for another year, work out a multi-year deal, or even trade him. If not, Darnold will have a clear path to free agency, opening up new possibilities for his future.

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