The Minnesota Vikings don’t plan to use the franchise tag on quarterback Sam Darnold before Tuesday’s deadline, inching him one step closer to free agency. However, according to multiple reports, the Vikings are still hopeful they can re-sign him in what’s being described as a “fluid” situation.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported similar, noting the tag won’t be used despite the Vikings desire to create a path for Darnold to return.
Franchise-tagging Darnold would’ve cost over $40 million for 2025 and still made him a free agent for the 2026 season.
With Matthew Stafford staying in Los Angeles, Darnold becomes the best quarterback available. Reviving his career with a strong 2024 in Minnesota, Darnold is expected to command a high price tag. Not only because of the quarterback market exploding but the scarcity of this offseason’s talent pool. There’s only a handful of starters and potentially just two first-round prospects.
Should Sam Darnold stay in Minnesota, interest in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will only increase as the market shrinks another name. Combine buzz indicates both players already have outside interest. Wilson has been connected to the Las Vegas Raiders, where former coach Pete Carroll was just hired, and the New York Giants, whom Wilson visited before signing with Pittsburgh a year ago. Fields has been linked to the New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, and Raiders.
Over the weekend, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler left open the possibility of Pittsburgh pursuing Darnold should he hit the market. But Darnold hasn’t gained much overall traction given his price tag that’s likely to hit the $30-40 million average yearly value range. Pro Football Focus projects Darnold to earn over $41 million per season, a number still considered average for the position. Beyond the Vikings, the Raiders have been the most-connected team to Darnold as they look for quarterback help to jumpstart the organization’s new regime.
Darnold led Minnesota to a 14-3 record in 2024, throwing 35 touchdowns, completing two-thirds of his passes, and surpassing 4,300 passing yards. A late-season collapse dinged his market but he’s still considered the top quarterback and someone the Vikings would like to keep, though they weren’t willing to go as far as to use the franchise tag to do so.
