A new quarterback has become the most highly sought-after signal caller with Matthew Stafford now off the market.
After weeks of uncertainty regarding Stafford’s future with the Los Angeles Rams, the veteran QB on Friday hashed out a new deal to stay in L.A. for at least the next two seasons. The news has reportedly thrust Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold into the free agency spotlight.
Darnold is now considered the top free agent QB left in an offseason with several QB-needy teams, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“Sam Darnold is now the number one quarterback available … All eyes are now on Sam Darnold,” Rapoport reported from the NFL draft combine.
Rapoport added that the Vikings could still opt to use their franchise tag on Darnold if he drums up enough interest to get other teams to trade assets for him.
Darnold had a breakout campaign with the Vikings last season. The 27-year-old made his first Pro Bowl and even earned some MVP votes after throwing for 4,319 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Darnold did so on a Vikings team that finished with a 14-3 record, tied for the second-best in the NFC.
However, Darnold was not completely able to silence his critics after his brutal performance in the Vikings’ Wild Card round exit against Stafford’s Rams. Many fans assumed Darnold’s playoff dud would wipe away any chance of him getting a massive payday in free agency.
But with multiple teams in need of a quality QB and the overall lack of elite QB talent in the upcoming NFL draft, the market for Darnold remains as robust as ever.
