The Minnesota Vikings’ 2024 regular-season performance was unquestionably outstanding. The Philadelphia Eagles, who won the Super Bowl, had an overall record of 14-3, which matched them for third place in the league behind the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs. The Vikings were anticipated to do poorly this season since they had traded for experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins and signed Sam Darnold to take his place.
When Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings, he was obviously just another player. He had played for the San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, and New York Jets during his six seasons in the NFL, but he had never stood out. Darnold was considered by the Vikings as a stand-in for rookie J.J. McCarthy, who was chosen with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the draft in April.
McCarthy was considered by the Vikings to be the team’s quarterback because to his talent, arm power, accuracy, and agility. He had guided head coach Jim Harbaugh and the University of Michigan to the national title in 2023.
However, McCarthy missed the whole season after tearing his meniscus in the Vikings’ opening preseason game. After being promoted from backup quarterback to quarterback, Darnold exceeded all expectations. He passed for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while leading the Vikings to victory streaks of five and nine games.
Given that Darnold is 27 years old and appears to have found his way, the Vikings appear to have found their quarterback of the present and future.
But the Vikings will have to pay a hefty price to bring Darnold back. In the upcoming weeks and months, the Vikings may let go of three important veterans, including him.
Will Darnold be able to replicate his Vikings success?
There were weeks throughout the 2025 season when Darnold fulfilled all of the Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell’s requests and guided the squad to many significant wins.
However, there are important queries. Was last year a fluke, or can Darnold do it again? Will a huge increase prevent the Vikings from acquiring other important players who will help them win playoff games, and how much would it cost to keep him? Is a healthy McCarthy a better quarterback than Darnold?
O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the general manager, have too many questions to answer. O’Connell brought out the best in Darnold, who is a talented quarterback. But Darnold had a rough game against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card playoffs and the Detroit Lions in the regular-season finale.
Less than a week later, the Vikings’ incredible season came to an abrupt end.
The Vikings will ultimately decide to let go of their great quarterback due to the cost of bringing him back, which is at least $35 million annually.
This choice has the potential to backfire, but it also has the potential to elevate the Vikings to a Super Bowl-winning level they have never been able to attain.
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