Vikings Face Quarterback Conundrum: Who Stays and Who Goes?
In the heart of Eagan, Minnesota, the Minnesota Vikings’ headquarters is buzzing with activity as the team faces a pivotal offseason decision. Head coach Kevin O’Connell, who frequently visits the quarterback meeting room, is no stranger to the complexities of managing a talented roster. As a former NFL passer himself, O’Connell knows the importance of having a strong quarterback lineup. However, the Vikings find themselves in a unique situation with a surplus of capable quarterbacks, and it’s time to make some tough choices.
Last season, O’Connell was greeted by a room full of potential. The group included three young top-10 picks: Sam Darnold (27), Daniel Jones (27), and J.J. McCarthy (21). Alongside them were veteran backups Nick Mullens and Brett Rypien, who collectively have 23 NFL starts under their belts.
O’Connell expressed confidence in their abilities, stating, “[They all had] the ability, in my opinion, to win games. All with the ability to play the position at a pretty darn high level, all at different times and points of their journey as quarterbacks in this league.”
Despite the abundance of talent, the Vikings are faced with the reality of modern team building and salary cap constraints. The team must make some difficult decisions, and it all began when they chose not to use the franchise or transition tag on Darnold, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This decision allows Darnold to explore the free agent market after a stellar Pro Bowl season where he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Letting Darnold go is nearly unprecedented in NFL history. The only other quarterback to change teams after throwing at least 30 touchdown passes in a season was Jameis Winston, who left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 due to his 30 interceptions in 2019.
The Vikings could have used the franchise tag as leverage to trade Darnold, but the path was too narrow. It would have required a team willing to give up a draft pick to avoid competing for him on the open market. Darnold could have also hindered a trade by refusing to agree to a long-term contract with the interested team.
While the Vikings continue to discuss a potential return for Darnold in 2025, it would require unique circumstances. He would need to accept a contract worth less than what he might receive elsewhere, face limited interest from other teams, or benefit from a team not ready to commit to its young franchise quarterback. Even then, a second year with the Vikings could be awkward.
Accumulating quarterback assets might seem wise, but would the Vikings delay McCarthy’s development for another season? And should Darnold, at 28 and coming off a Pro Bowl season, have to compete for his job?
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter, speaking on “The Adam Schefter Podcast,” suggested that Minnesota might be the “most sensible” landing spot for Darnold. “It’s not exactly what Sam Darnold would have hoped for or wanted,” Schefter said, “but it’s still a pretty favorable outcome in my mind.”
Some might point to the Green Bay Packers‘ success in developing quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love over three seasons. However, in those cases, they sat behind future Hall of Fame starters. Darnold’s career year in 2024 doesn’t warrant that level of influence.
O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have been careful in their public comments, emphasizing Darnold’s right to explore free agency without explicitly stating they want him back as the 2025 starter.
Turning the position over to McCarthy carries risks. He is less experienced than his 2024 first-round quarterback draft class peers, with only 713 career passing attempts at Michigan. In contrast, players like Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels averaged 1,560 attempts in college. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury, making him the first first-round quarterback to do so since 1967.
Despite these challenges, the Vikings’ actions over the past months suggest a transition to McCarthy. The team needs a quarterback who can start if necessary but won’t mind being a backup if McCarthy wins the job. Daniel Jones, the No. 6 pick of the 2019 draft, fits this profile. He spent the final six weeks of the 2024 season on the Vikings’ practice squad after being released by the New York Giants.
The question is whether Jones will find a team offering a clearer path to play in 2025 or if he might see a season with the Vikings as beneficial for his long-term future. Darnold’s experience as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 shows that taking a step back can pay off.
The conversation might have been different if Darnold hadn’t struggled in his final two starts last season, completing only 43.9% of his passes in a Week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions and taking nine sacks in a playoff defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.
Even so, NFL teams rarely dismiss a season like Darnold’s, but the Vikings have an abundance of quarterbacks, and someone has to go.
Originally Written by: Kevin Seifert
