Sam Darnold: One-and-Finished in Minnesota?

Picture by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs

Most of our readers appear to assume so

It’s time for us to take a look at the outcomes of our SB Nation Reacts ballot for this week, and whereas our survey was just one query lengthy, it was the query that can encompass the Minnesota Vikings for the subsequent month and a half or so.

We requested what everybody thought the Vikings had been going to do with quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold is ready to hit free company after far exceeding expectations this previous season whereas taking part in on a one-year, $10 million deal. We gave everybody a number of choices as to what they assume the staff might do with him, and nearly all of you are feeling that Darnold might be some other place subsequent season.

Listed below are our outcomes:

Of those that responded to our ballot, a full 85% of you assume that Darnold might be leaving the Vikings ultimately. The “how” of this may occur exhibits a little bit of a break up, nevertheless. There have been 48% of our readers who assume that the Vikings will simply let Darnold stroll with none form of struggle, whereas 37% assume that the staff will place the franchise tag on Darnold after which commerce him away. Of the remaining respondents, 12% assume that the Vikings could have him again for one more 1-year deal on the franchise tag, whereas simply 3% assume that the staff will signal him to a long-term extension.

Personally, I believe that the “let him leave” choice is what’s going to find yourself occurring. It could be good to assume that the staff might get one thing massive for him in a tag-and-trade form of deal, however I don’t know when you can danger tagging Darnold at this level until you completely know you’re going to have the ability to transfer him. If Darnold indicators his franchise tender, the Vikings will all of a sudden be on the hook for a determine north of $40 million, and though they’re going to be sitting on a ton of cap area this offseason, such a transfer would take an enormous chunk out of that determine.

On prime of that, I nonetheless firmly imagine that all the things that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Kevin O’Connell, and the Vikings have been doing has been pointing to 2025. They drafted J.J. McCarthy with the mindset that he was extra more likely to take over this season than he would have been as a rookie and so they appear greater than prepared to show the keys over to him subsequent season. Plus, after what the staff went by with Kirk Cousins for six seasons, I don’t assume they’re in any massive hurry to doubtlessly get again on the mid-level QB treadmill with Darnold. This staff goes to show its consideration to the holes that they should fill in free company and reap the benefits of the rookie QB contract they at the moment need to construct up the remainder of the roster in lieu of spending a bunch of cash on Darnold.

That’s simply my opinion. As at all times, your mileage might differ.

Thanks to everybody who took the time to answer our survey for this week!