The Frontrunner for Sam Darnold … Might Not Be the Frontrunner After All.

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports activities.

For a couple of month, the Las Vegas Raiders have represented the frontrunner in buying Sam Darnold’s providers both through franchise tag-and-trade or outright free company.

The Frontrunner for Sam Darnold … Might Not Be the Frontrunner After All.

However that idea may be improper, in keeping with The Athletic.

Denny Medley-Imagn Photographs.

Darnold delivered a powerful season in Minnesota final 12 months — properly, 16 good video games, anyway — with 4,319 passing yards, 36 whole touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a group document of 14-3. The Vikings misplaced early within the postseason, and Darnold stunk in the course of the occasion, however he ought to have an honest free-agent market regardless.

It’s simply that NFL-themed media may’ve overblown the Raiders angle.

“Tom Brady — who bumped into Matthew Stafford in Montana and went skiing with him recently — and general manager John Spytek prioritized Stafford because they are not super high on Sam Darnold or the other potential free agents,” Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed wrote late final week concerning the Raiders’ pursuit of Stafford.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Photographs.

“There are members of the Raiders’ offensive coaching staff who prefer adding a proven veteran quarterback to taking a dice roll on a rookie quarterback, according to league sources. The 2025 draft class isn’t perceived to be deep at quarterback, and there’s a chance that the only options worth drafting in the first round will be gone by the time the Raiders are on the clock.”

Las Vegas was apparently intrigued by Stafford’s perceived availability, so many believed, “Well, they can just sign Sam Darnold since Stafford returned to Los Angeles.”

It’s simply that Darnold and Stafford are markedly totally different quarterbacks — one, Stafford, has a sterling fame whereas the opposite, Darnold, had a candy batch of 16 video games final season for the primary time in his profession.

Brad Rempel-Imagn Photographs.

Tafur and Reed added concerning the Raiders’ quarterback plan: “The Raiders want to win now while they build up the roster, and they thought Stafford uniquely gave them that push. Now, they have to explore alternative options.”

Las Vegas has dominated the Darnold rumor mill for 2 causes:

The Raiders want a quarterback, and the draft’s sixth general choose isn’t a wonderful spot to draft Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Due to this fact, a free-agent passer like Darnold may examine some containers.

The brand new head coach in Las Vegas, Pete Carroll, coached USC for 9 seasons, and that’s Darnold’s alma mater.

If Tafur and Reed have it proper that the Raiders received’t spend megabucks on Darnold, it will shrink Darnold’s listing of touchdown spots to the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tennessee Titans (amongst possibly a shock group or two), no less than in idea.

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NFL free company is only one week away, and onlookers ought to be taught Darnold’s subsequent employer then.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his each day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options visitors, 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. 

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