The Minnesota Vikings, a few weeks away from potentially losing Kirk Cousins, are prepared to part ways with the veteran quarterback considering a report that the team is eyeing Sam Darnold as his short-term replacement.
Pioneer Press columnist Charley Walters reported on February 25 that while Cousins, poised to reach free agency on March 13, is garnering interest with the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings are also looking at signing Darnold as a bridge veteran to pair alongside a rookie quarterback.
“Atlanta still looks like Cousins’ next destination. Meanwhile, there’s whispering now that the Vikings are considering free agent Sam Darnold, 26, as a bridge QB to replace Cousins before April’s draft,” Walters wrote. “If Cousins leaves, the next step for the Vikings will be determining if they can move up in the draft from No. 11 to take an elite quarterback.”
While Darnold isn’t a name for fans to rave about, he is an experienced starter in the NFL who could keep the Vikings offense (that didn’t miss a beat with Nick Mullens) humming in 2024. The expectation of signing Darnold would be to remain competitive while the team develops a blue-chip quarterback prospect they select in the first round.
However, there are also higher hopes that Darnold could be a late bloomer after Baker Mayfield‘s ascension last year.
Sam Darnold Garnering Buzz as This Year’s Baker Mayfield
The third overall pick of the 2018 draft by the New York Jets, Darnold was touted for his arm strength and accuracy coming out of college.
He landed in a struggling New York franchise that traded him to the Carolina Panthers after three seasons. The Panthers picked up Darnold’s fifth-year option, effectively getting two years of tread on the former USC star.
Darnold cleaned up his turnover-prone play in Carolina, but after suffering an ankle injury in 2022, Carolina opted to trade the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. The Panthers let Darnold walk as their plan to select Bryce Young was cemented.
Since then, Darnold has studied as a backup, working under San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Like Mayfield, who worked with Shanahan disciple Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams before leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an unexpected playoff berth, Darnold has gotten some exposure to some of the league’s most quarterback-friendly coaching and an offensive play-caller who complements his skill set.
Darnold looked solid, starting in the 49ers’ regular-season finale. He completed 16-of-26 pass attempts (61.5%) for 189 yards passing and two total touchdowns with primarily backups in a 21-20 loss to the Rams.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said during Super Bowl week that there is hope for Darnold to be “this year’s Baker Mayfield,” while the Vikings could also hedge that bet with a rookie quarterback as well.
“My anticipation is that Cousins will have a strong market as a free agent, even at age 35 coming off an Achilles,” Pelissero said. “Minnesota is examining all options in the event that Cousins ends up landing elsewhere. If, in fact, the price tag goes too high, the Vikings would pursue a more economical veteran.
“One guy who is a possibility: Sam Darnold, the 49ers’ current backup here, hoping that he becomes this year’s Baker Mayfield, while also buying them time to maybe also develop a rookie quarterback.”
Former NFL Exec Believes Vikings Coaching Staff Would Buy Into Darnold
While the Vikings would take a step back at quarterback by replacing Cousins with Darnold in 2024, there’s an avenue where the Vikings build a better roster with the cap savings Darnold brings.
“They’d all have to be on the same page, for sure,” Former NFL executive Randy Mueller told The Athletic. “But what (a player like Darnold) brings you at a cap number of $10 million, with what else the team could do with that money, could sell to coaches.”
Cousins could command a $45 million-a-year contract in free agency. While Darnold has made $53 million in his career, his contract after his rookie deal was affordable at $4.5 million a year.
The 49ers offered that deal with the prospect Darnold could compete with Brock Purdy and Trey Lance for the starting job. A $10 million deal a year deal wouldn’t be an absurd offer the Vikings could extend.
