No More Speculation: The Sam Darnold Era Is Over
It’s quite the deja vu in the Twin Cities, as the Vikings lose their starting quarterback in the second straight offseason. Kirk Cousins said goodbye to Minnesota a year ago when he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Nobody predicted his successor, Sam Darnold, to be the hot item in this year’s cycle, but here we are.
No More Speculation: The Sam Darnold Era Is Over
Darnold enjoyed a breakout season with 35 passing touchdowns en route to the postseason and a nomination for the Pro Bowl.
That, of course, has earned him some interest in free agency. A ton of speculation took place in the last few months, and those were all over the place.
Ultimately, the passer agreed to sign with the Seattle Seahawks, the team he daggered with a beautiful touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson less than three months ago.
Dianna Russini reported: “Sam Darnold has agreed to terms with the Seahawks, per source. The top free agent quarterback available, Darnold gets the three-year deal he sought and heads to Seattle after a career year in Minnesota.”
She added the compensation: “Sam Darnold is getting a three-year, $110.5 million deal that includes $55 million guaranteed from Seattle.”
Darnold revived his career. He arrived in Minnesota as a journeyman bridge starter or backup on his fourth team in as many years. A former third-overall pick with the bust label.
Departing from Minnesota is a repaired signal-caller who graduated from the QB School of Kevin O’Connell with 36 total touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
His exit opens the door for J.J. McCarthy, the 2024 tenth-overall pick, to take his place. McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus last preseason and missed his entire rookie season. The promising 22-year-old will be full-go by the time the spring practices begin.
The other quarterback under contract is veteran reserve Brett Rypien. The club is still looking for a new partner for McCarthy, someone who can be the insurance policy if the Michigan alumnus isn’t ready to compete and mentor him if he is.
Darnold joins a Seahawks team that has seen a ton of change in the last few days. Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, the long-time receiver tandem, have been cut in the case of Lockett, and Metcalf was traded to the Steelers.
Still, the Seahawks employ wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was fabulous in the 2024 season. Also, they have a dynamic running back duo of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. That will surely help Darnold succeed.
Another wrinkle is that he reunites with ex-Vikings OC Klint Kubiak, with whom he worked in San Francisco in the 2023 campaign. He was hired earlier in the offseason as Seattle’s new OC.
Darnold delivered a fun and exciting season in his one year with the Vikings. Interestingly, the Vikings and the Seahawks will meet in the upcoming season.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt