The Minnesota Vikings lost Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency this offseason. Cousins was the Vikings starting quarterback from 2018-2023, posting many productive seasons.
The options in free agency were thin, and Minnesota opted to bring in Sam Darnold. Darnold was the third overall pick by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Darnold has shown flashes of potential in his career but has primarily served as a backup quarterback since his departure from the Jets.
In his career, Darnold has completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 12,064 yards, 63 touchdowns, and 56 interceptions.
The Vikings inked the 27-year-old quarterback to a one-year $10 million deal.
Darnold spent the 2023 season with the San Francisco 49ers. While there were rumors that Darnold could take over as the 49ers starter, head coach Kyle Shanahan opted to keep Brock Purdy as their starter. Shanahan made the right decision as Purdy led San Francisco to the Super Bowl.
The Vikings will now put Darnold back into a starting role and see how he performs.
Sam Darnold’s growth impressing Vikings
While Darnold has had plenty of growing pains, it seems he is turning a corner in his career.
According to Kevin Seifert of ESPN, Vikings quarterback coach Josh McCown has been impressed by Darnold’s growth.
“But amid their reunion in Minnesota, McCown said he has already observed ‘how much more mature’ Darnold is ‘and how much he’s learned from a football standpoint.”‘
McCown was the Jets’ backup quarterback during Darnold’s rookie campaign. Now the Vikings’ quarterbacks coach, he has seen Darnold’s growth and maturity.
Although Darnold only started one game in 2023, he seems prepared to jump back into the starting role.
However, Darnold will have competition throughout the season. The Vikings selected quarterback JJ McCarthy with the tenth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
The 21-year-old led the Michigan Wolverines to a National Championship in 2024 and has some promise.
McCarthy is a raw talent and may need time to become a polished NFL quarterback. This gives Darnold some sense of security as he will likely be the starter in Week 1 of the NFL season.
Darnold will need to play well early, or the Vikings coaching staff could opt to move McCarthy to the QB 1 spot.
If Darnold puts together a strong start to the season, Minnesota may have McCarthy sit his entire rookie season. This isn’t a foreign concept, as quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and Jordan Love sat at least one year before becoming a starter.
Darnold is impressing the Vikings coaching staff, and the next step is to translate this to the football field.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
