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Vikings + Sam Darnold Reunion Finally Ruled Out
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- Vikings + Sam Darnold Reunion Finally Ruled Out
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings have spent the early part of this offseason supposedly deciding whether or not to re-sign Sam Darnold for an encore to his breakout 2024 season in purple. According to most reports, the franchise tag was discussed at the combine, but never really on the table.
NFL insiders, especially since the tag deadline passed on Tuesday, have worked tirelessly to convince us that a long-term contract for Darnold was not only possible in Minnesota, but that the two sides were actively engaged in talks to make it happen.
Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
All this recent reporting on a possible Darnold + Vikings reunion has had quite the butterfly effect across the league's QB market, too. At one point mid-week, some were so convinced in the Vikings' interest to retain Darnold that the Las Vegas Raiders were even eyeing up a possible JJ McCarthy trade .
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Breaking: Sam Darnold won't return to the Minnesota Vikings in 2025
But it looks like all of that is now dead. Because over the past 15 hours, league insiders have been using the Seattle Seahawks' newfound interest in Darnold — after they traded away QB Geno Smith to the Raiders for a 3rd round pick — as the turning point of Sam's 2025 offseason.
The narrative flipped fast, too. By early Saturday morning, not only were talks between the Vikings and Darnold falling apart, but Tom Pelissero (NFL Network) had already reported what most of us knew deep down.
When free agency officially starts on March 12, Sam Darnold will be too expensive for the Vikings to consider bringing back. Thus, the 27-year-old 2024 MVP candidate will not be returning to Minnesota. Pelissero points to Daniel Jones — "who is mulling multiple opportunities" as one veteran QB the Vikings are trying to pair with McCarthy for 2025.
With the Geno Smith trade opening a spot in Seattle, Sam Darnold is not expected to return to the #Vikings , who are now focused on other options they've been pursuing in recent weeks, sources tell The Insiders.
Those options include re-signing Daniel Jones, who is mulling… pic.twitter.com/TYhgG9jPhf— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 8, 2025
What's next for Darnold, Vikings?
Sam Darnold had by far the best season of his 7-year NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings, tossing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. In 2024, the former USC star proved to enough teams that his early-career failures were more a product of his situation in New York, than his abilities as an NFL QB.
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Related: What Does Raiders QB Trade Mean for Vikings, Sam Darnold?
Now, Sam Darnold will get his chance to prove his worth for the long haul, whether that is in Seattle or elsewhere. We just know it won't be here. One reason why the Seahawks may be so interested in Darnold — He performed well vs the "12th Man" when the Vikings traveled to the Coffee Capital last season.
It was in Seattle, week 15, that Sam tossed for 246 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, part of a stretch from weeks 10 to 16 in which he threw for 2,012 yards, 18 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions, to put the Minnesota Vikings in position to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC for the playoffs. Of course, we all knew what happened after that.
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