How a Sam Darnold Trade Could Work for the Vikings
The possibility of trading Sam Darnold is alive and well in the Twin Cities.
Of course, being able to do so will require the Vikings to have the quarterback under contract. Mr. Darnold is moving toward free agency in March, so Minnesota would likely need to slap the franchise tag on him to facilitate a trade. Per OTC, that would require more than $40 million in cap space, open room that’s present. Could a trade actually work?
The Possibility of a Sam Darnold Trade
Start off with the need to balance different priorities.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has proven to be a GM who is constantly searching for value. Simply letting a starting-level quarterback walk away for a potential compensatory selection may not be the best approach. Remember: comp picks can get cancelled out by incoming talent, so there’s no guarantee that Darnold’s departure would lead to a Vikings draft pick. At best, there would be a late 3rd; at worst, nothing.
The benefit of a tag-and-trade is that the compensatory formula wouldn’t factor into the mix. The Vikings could snag a decent pick and get it in time for 2025.
The critical factor, however, is that Minnesota includes Sam Darnold in the decision making. The top decision makers in Eagan have a reputation for treating their players well. Maintaining that healthy culture may involve keeping Darnold in the loop so that the quarterback goes somewhere that’s actually on his wish list.
Taking that route has the downside of (potentially) needing to avoid doing business with the highest bidder. All Adofo-Mensah needs, though, is two interested franchises to get a pretty good return. One could envision a scenario where a 2nd or a 3rd gets the job done.
Darnold could then move into signing his lucrative extension, something that often follows the franchise tag. Minnesota gets another pick, Darnold gets a hearty raise, and a team gets an upgrade at quarterback.
Of course, if it sounds too easy, it’s likely because it is: too easy. The reality is that Minnesota will need to carefully consider all of their options — keeping Darnold, letting him walk, trying to pull off a trade, etc. — before deciding on a precise route. The trade possibility, however, is one that shouldn’t be outright discounted.
Sam Darnold is coming off a season where he cleared 4,300 yards passing while piling up 35 touchdown passes alongside 12 interceptions. QB1 numbers. The win/loss record is the cherry on top. So, too, is his 80.7 PFF grade impressive.
He is 27, so Darnold has several years of strong play ahead of him.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.