Sam Darnold is expected to command a sizable contract if he becomes a free agent this winter, and there is at least one AFC team that might be hoping for an opportunity to write the check.
During a special edition of “Sunday NFL Countdown” leading up to Super Bowl LIX, ESPN’s Adam Schefter discussed some of the biggest quarterback questions that will be answered in the coming weeks and months. The reporter believes the Las Vegas Raiders are the team to watch for Darnold if the Minnesota Vikings do not use the franchise tag on the veteran or sign him to a new contract.
“The Vikings have said that they’d like to bring him back, but that is not gonna be cheap. The franchise tag remains an option. One team that I would watch with Sam Darnold moving forward would be the Las Vegas Raiders,” Schefter said. “I think at some point in time they’re likely to have some interest in trying to bring Sam Darnold to Las Vegas. We’ll see if they can make that happen.”
The Raiders need a quarterback after neither Aidan O’Connell nor Gardner Minshew panned out for them this season. They have the No. 6 overall pick in a draft that is not very deep at the quarterback position, so they may look to sign a veteran like Darnold.
If the Vikings do let Darnold become a free agent, it will be interesting to see how the market for the 27-year-old develops. Darnold has played at an MVP level at times in Kevin O’Connell’s offense. He finished with a respectable 4,319 yards, 35 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions this season.
The end of the year was ugly for Darnold. He did not play well in Minnesota’s season finale against the Detroit Lions, which cost the Vikings the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye. Darnold then struggled again in a 27-9 Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
There is reason to believe the playoff dud will not impact Darnold’s value. Perhaps the Raiders will be comfortable paying Darnold franchise-quarterback money.
