When the franchise tag deadline came and went on Tuesday, most of us thought we would get closure regarding what the Minnesota Vikings were going to do with pending free agent QB Sam Darnold. If they didn't tag him, the overwhelming belief was that Sam would be on his way elsewhere soon after next week's free agency bell rings on March 12.
Instead, the opposite has happened. Since the tag deadline, the last few days have been dominated by reports that Darnold and the Vikings are both interested in running it back on a multi-year deal for the 27-year-old former No. 3 overall pick.
That has led other teams watching the Vikings' situation very closely, like the Las Vegas Raiders, to wonder what possibilities the future may hold. Could JJ McCarthy be the QB in Minnesota that comes available, no Sam Darnold?
According to Raiders beat reporter Hondo Carpenter (Sports Illustrated) — on Thursday's Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast — Vegas is very interested in JJ McCarthy, should he come available. He expects serious trade offers from the Raiders, should the Vikings and Darnold find common ground on a long-term deal.
"There is a lot of smoke that the Vikings and Sam Darnold are working on an extended deal, which would be two or more years. Last night, by someone who has been giving me information throughout this process, I was told that if Sam Darnold were to get a multi-year deal, that the chances would improve that Minnesota would trade [McCarthy]."
"If JJ McCarthy were to become available, I know that there would be interest from the Raiders. Interested doesn't mean a trade would be imminent, but I know there would be interest there"
"If it's a one-year deal for [Sam Darnold], I do not expect McCarthy to be available. I don't think he's going to sign a one year [deal]. He might, this part is purely speculative on my part, but I don't think he will [sign a one year deal]. So if [Darnold] gets a [multi-year deal in Minnesota] then all eyes need to be on JJ McCarthy. I know factually that there would be interest from the Raiders."
Now, these Darnold + Vikings rumors fly in the face of what has been reported out of Eagan regarding Minnesota's thoughts on JJ McCarthy,going back 11 months. Even since his meniscus injury, and resulting surgery, not one time have the Vikings expressed concerns regarding JJ's development, outside of some possible weight loss issues during his recovery.
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Everything put out publicly , to this point, suggests that Kevin O'Connell loves where McCarthy is at. If anything, the Vikings have remained 100% convinced JJ is the future of their franchise, at QB. That's why it's been difficult to make sense of what's been happening the past few days. But could the tide be changing on this whole, 'the Vikings want Darnold back' narrative?
One of the most trusted NFL insiders to throw gas on this week's 'Darnold could return to the Vikings' fire was ESPN's Adam Schefter , who reported on Wednesday that Sam landing back in Minnesota is what "makes the most sense".
On Friday, however, Schefty got on KFAN Radio with his buddy, Vikings radio VOX, Paul Allen , where he very much walked his previous report back. Now, Adam believes the opposite of what he reported just two days ago, telling PA, "I don't view [Sam Darnold returning] as a likely scenario, right now."
PA : "If it were a 0-10, what number would you put on [Sam Darnold being] the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings next year?"
Schefter : "Not high… not high. Again, as we go over all these scenarios, they're all in play. But I think [returning to] the Vikings is a down low scenario. I don't view [Sam Darnold returning] as a likely scenario, right now."
What does this little Schefter nugget tell us about the rumors flying around linking the Minnesota Vikings to a new contract with Sam Darnold? In all likelihood, it means that most of the chatter has being driven by Sam's representation, not anyone who matters within the Vikings organization.
The insider reporting world is ripe with "quid pro quo" deals between sources and reporters, in all brands of news. That's especially true in the sports world, however. That's why it is important to point out who Darnold is currently represented by, which is the very powerful Creative Arts Agency (CAA) .
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When we start to connect these dots, the reports coming out this week start to make more sense. It's been Darnold's representatives pushing their weight around the past two weeks, feeding reporters with one-sided information that they may or may not be able to verify elsewhere, but never with the Vikings.
Since, all offseason long, the those inside of TCO Performance Center have mostly avoided any and all leaks regarding their plans this offseason.
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings
With higher-ups in the Vikings organization refusing to confirm or deny rumors behind the scenes, insiders are forced to rely on other sources for information. Not having the latest info on each team is not an option for guys like Schefter.
That's why, when asked where he believes Sam Darnold will play next season, Schefter admitted he has no idea. He doesn't even think Sam has any idea yet, either. Meanwhile, the Vikings aren't talking to anyone.
PA : "Where would 'per sources' lead you to believe where Sam Darnold will play next season?" do you think
Schefter : "I think Sam Darnold is still trying to figure out where Sam Darnold is going to be playing next season. I don't think he knows, right now, where he will be playing next season."
More than likely, these reports that the Vikings and Darnold are trying to work out a new deal are Sam's team trying to drive up his price in free agency, before the NFL negotiating period begins on Monday. I would not expect the rumor mill to slow down this weekend, either, as all pending free agents jockey for the best possible negotiating angles.
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