The Minnesota Vikings bid farewell to Kirk Cousins on Monday, and on Tuesday, they secured a potential successor by agreeing to a one-year contract with former San Francisco 49ers backup Sam Darnold,
Darnold, 26, can earn up to $10 million on the deal. Originally drafted as the No. 3 overall pick by the New York Jets in 2018, he brings 56 games of starting experience to the Vikings, along with a personal connection to new Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, as they were teammates in the Jets’ quarterback room during Darnold’s rookie season.
Darnold’s signing raises questions about the Vikings’ quarterback plans following Cousins’ departure. At the moment, the former Jets prospect is the frontrunner to take over as the starter due to his experience. Darnold has been speculated as a potential Plan B for the Vikings in case of Cousins’ exit.
Despite playing for three teams in six NFL seasons, Darnold, at 26, has shown promise when healthy, particularly in 2022 when he went 4-2 with seven touchdowns and a 92.6 passer rating for the Carolina Panthers.
Sam Darnold, the newly signed backup quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, has had a checkered career, experiencing limited success as a starter with a record of 17-32 and a career rating of 78.3. His stint with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers was brief, prompting him to settle for a one-year backup role with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, backing up Brock Purdy.
Darnold’s signing with the Vikings is viewed as the team’s initial attempt to address their quarterback situation, which will likely involve multiple investments.
General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is expected to explore various options, with the reported maximum earnings for Darnold reaching $10 million, positioning him as a high-end backup.
This places him just behind Gardner Minshew, the newly acquired quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders.
With the Vikings holding the No. 11 pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, there is speculation about whether they will use it to select a quarterback of the future. The departure of Kirk Cousins, while anticipated, has provided the Vikings the opportunity to adopt a more long-term perspective at the quarterback position.
History suggests that identifying a true face of the franchise often requires multiple attempts across various players and avenues.