Sam DarnoldSet Number: X164654 TK1
Restricted/Exclusive-Rights Free Agents
The Vikings should be commended for what they put together in 2024. However, keeping the proverbial band together could prove difficult. Minnesota is projected to have $73.3 million in available cap space. However, it also has a number of key contributors slated to hit the market.
Guard Dalton Risner and tackle Cam Robinson are currently starters along the offensive line—though Robinson could be expendable if left tackle Christian Darrisaw returns quickly from his season-ending knee injury. Aaron Jones and Cam Akers are Minnesota’s top two running backs.
A huge portion of the secondary—including cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy, Shaquill Griffin and Fabian Moreau, plus safeties Camryn Byron and Harrison Smith—is slated to hit the open market. So are front-seven contributors like Jerry Tillery and Jonathan Bullard.
Of course, the biggest question will come at quarterback. Darnold played extremely well in 2024, but Minnesota just used a first-round pick on Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy also missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, so the Vikings can’t know what to expect from him moving forward.
A difficult decision looms. The Vikings could hand the keys to McCarthy, franchise-tag Darnold to give McCarthy another developmental season or sign Darnold to a multi-year deal and have McCarthy as a backup plan and/or QB of the future.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, a “slight majority” of league executives believe that Minnesota will keep Darnold in some form or fashion. Doing so, however, could cut into the team’s cap space significantly.
Quarterbacks are never cheap on the open market, and the tag value will be higher than the $38.3 million it was in 2024.
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