Daniel Bartel-Imagn Photographs.
It’s in all places.
The Quantity-One-With-a-Bullet Sam Darnold Idea
If one accepts that Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is not going to return to the franchise in 2025, NFL lots have determined there’s one clear different for his 2025 place of employment: the Las Vegas Raiders.
The idea is so widespread that it has entered foregone conclusion territory.
Darnold manufactured a unbelievable season with the Vikings in 2024. Properly, the primary 16 video games had been magnificent. Darnold later crumbled within the season’s remaining two video games, which simply so occurred to be crucial. Accordingly, most Vikings followers determined they might relatively put their eggs in J.J. McCarthy’s basket for the longer term.
NFL-themed media took a couple of weeks, however later agreed. Thereafter, Darnold-to-Raiders grew to become a well-liked consensus. The thirty third Crew‘s Marcus Mosher grew to become the newest this week to subscribe to the speculation.
“There is a chance that Darnold wouldn’t want to play in a division as competitive as the AFC West or with a team that has struggled as much as the Raiders. Still, this is a pretty good football situation for Darnold as he continues to resurrect his career. Most Likely: Las Vegas Raiders,” Mosher wrote about Darnold’s most possible touchdown spot.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Photographs.
And this week alone, Mosher wasn’t remoted with the Las Vegas prediction. SI.com’s Albert Breer picked the Raiders, too, for Darnold. He not too long ago wrote concerning the franchise tag and Darnold’s touchdown spot: “The franchise tag window opens tomorrow, and the two big decisions belong to Cincinnati (Tee Higgins) and Minnesota (Sam Darnold). Teams have two weeks before the deadline for making those calls, so I wouldn’t expect anything immediate.”
“I do think, for what it’s worth, Darnold would be a really good fit for Chip Kelly’s offense in Las Vegas.”
Not satisfied? How about ESPN? “With the transition to coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, the Raiders could finally solve their QB issue in free agency by signing Darnold. Las Vegas was 30th in QBR in 2024 (40.4), and Darnold’s 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdown throws for the Vikings both ranked fifth in the league. And in Vegas, Kelly could scheme for Darnold’s arm talent, while also using his mobility to attack the edges,” Matt Bowen wrote about Darnold to Las Vegas.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports activities
So, sure — that’s three main retailers merging Darnold’s future with the Raiders … in a interval of days.
If Darnold swerves and doesn’t grow to be a Raider, golf equipment just like the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts may make sense.
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Photographs.
Darnold can formally dip his toes in free-agent waters about 19 days from now.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his every day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options company, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple group, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as intently because the NFL.
All statistics supplied by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual data supplied by OverTheCap.com.
