John Kosko of Pro Football Focus is bullish on the idea of the Pittsburgh Steelers signing quarterback Sam Darnold in free agency. He thinks the former third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft has been rejuvenated after a banner year in Minnesota and would be a perfect fit in the Steel City.
"For the first time in his career, we saw Sam Darnold thrive in 2024. The big question heading into free agency is whether he has truly turned a corner at the NFL level or if his impressive 16-game stretch was just an outlier before reverting to his career norm," Kosko wrote.
Minnesota thought it was landing its franchise quarterback of the future when the Vikings took Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
That didn't pan out in 2024, when McCarthy was lost for the year to a preseason injury. Darnold played surprisingly well, leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record, the club's best since 1998.
The standout season has some believing that Darnold might stick around for longer than the one-year deal he signed with the Vikings last offseason. But Darnold struggled in losses to the Detroit Lions in Week 18 and the Wild Card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams . The way Darnold ended the season could certainly have some teams wary.
"Any team looking to sign Darnold this offseason will be betting on the former. The key to maintaining his 2024 success will be providing him with stability—an elite play-caller, strong receiving weapons, and a reliable offensive line. If placed in the right situation, Darnold could finally live up to the potential that made him a top-three draft pick."
INGLEWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 20: New York Jets Quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates after winning their first game of the season during an NFL game between the New York Jets and the Los Angeles Rams on December 20, 2020, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire)
The Steelers' stability as an organization is why Kosko thinks Pittsburgh is the best landing spot for Darnold.
"Among the quarterback-needy teams this offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers stand out as one of the NFL's most stable organizations," Kosko wrote. "Mike Tomlin, the league's longest-tenured head coach, has never had a losing season. While the offense has had its share of struggles in recent years, Tomlin and the Steelers consistently find ways to win—a major confidence boost for any quarterback stepping into the role."
Kosko also thinks Darnold would mesh well with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
'If Darnold were to land in Pittsburgh, he'd have Arthur Smith calling plays in a run-heavy system—an ideal setup for a quarterback who thrived using play action in 2024. The Steelers still need to add weapons and improve pass protection, but for Darnold, organizational stability is key. No team provides that better than the Steelers."
The Vikings have not made a decision about whether they're going to let Darnold hit the free agent market this offseason, but they took a step to make sure they're keeping their options open on Tuesday when it comes to using their franchise tag — potentially impacting the quarterback market for the Steelers.
The Vikings allowed Darnold's contract to void on Tuesday . Without that happening, Minnesota could not have used the franchise tag on the resurrected quarterback after his stellar season of relief with the Vikings.
RELATED: Steelers QB Market Thins? Vikings Holding Franchise Tag over Sam Darnold
Now it's unclear what the market will be for Darnold if he hits free agency, and whether he's worth the $41 million for one season it would cost the Vikings to use the franchise tag on him.
The value is complicated by a very thin market at quarterback, and with McCarthy still recovering from his injury and not having yet played a regular season snap, the Vikings will not want to go into the season without a strong backup plan. For now, that could still be Darnold on the franchise tag.
The Vikings could also look to tag and trade Darnold to a quarterback-needy team. The Steelers have not been closely linked to Darnold, but are of course in the market for a quarterback and Darnold is one of the few with recent successful starting experience that could possibly hit free agency.
Even if the Steelers aren't specifically interested in Darnold, if the Vikings use their tag on him, one less option in an already thin market could drive up the price for the remainder of the free agent class.
Alan Saunders contributed reporting for this story.
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