The Vikings are unlikely to franchise tag Sam Darnold, but the team may still want to keep the quarterback.
Tuesday's 4pm EST marks the NFL deadline, using franchise tags for players; ESPN reported It's unlikely that Minnesota will go that route on a previous first-round draft pick on Monday night.
But that doesn't mean that his time with the Vikings is also necessarily over.
The Vikings are still interested in trying to re-sign Darnold without exercising the franchise tag they gave them to make a long-term extension until July 15th, the report showed.
The quarterback franchise tag salary is projected to be around $40 million.
Darnold had a breakout season in 2024.
He led the Vikings with 14 wins, but threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns on his way to his first Pro Bowl nod.
QB's Cinderella story ended when he decided the NFC North Champion and struggled in the season finale with the Lions, who struggled in a playoff loss to the Rams.
Darnold gave little insight into his thoughts in late January after the season ended Interview with SiriusXM NFL Radiohe said, “I'm not going to share anything about what I've been thinking.”
“Obviously, there's still a lot going on after the Super Bowl. So [I’m] Just keep talking to my agent and keep understanding things from there,” he said.
Darnold arrived in Minnesota on a one-year contract and had a strong training camp.
The injury to first-round pick JJ McCarthy during the preseason essentially solidified Darnold's position as the Vikings starter last season.
“We took it in one day at a time,” Darnold said. He told Newsweek in February About his success in 2024. “For me, trust the work you've done all season. Trust in your work and trust in our process.”
