The saga of Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings still doesn’t have a final resolution. With free agency around the corner, the quarterback’s future in the NFL remains uncertain. However, the former Jets player revealed his intentions for the immediate future, no matter where his final destination may be.
In a recent appearance on the official USC Athletics YouTube account alongside former Southern Cal quarterback Cody Kessler, Darnold reflected on his year with the Vikings, which may have been his best statistically since entering the NFL.
“It was such a great year. Obviously, it didn’t end necessarily the way we all hoped it would, but yeah, it was a great year,“ Darnold said. “Just looking back on everything, the teammates I had, the coaches that I had. The coaching that I got throughout the season, really opened up my eyes to how great of a coaching staff we had this year.”
In addition, the former Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers player took some time to reflect on his future, as his spot in Minnesota is still not fully secured. Starting next month, he will be eligible to join a new team.
Sam Darnold quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.
“I don’t pay too much attention to what’s happened, I always try to focus on what I can do now to continue to get better and do what I can to not only help myself but my future teammates and coaches that are gonna be right there with me side by side on Sunday,” Darnold finally concluded.
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What will Darnold’s future hold?
Sam Darnold’s standout season with the Vikings has certainly put any decision regarding his future into question for the upcoming season.
With free agency just around the corner, the quarterback could look for new opportunities in the league, seeking a lucrative contract that reflects his performance from last season. Additionally, there’s the potential return of J.J. McCarthy, who missed the entire season due to a serious injury before Week 1.
Darnold’s performance throughout the last season was the best of his career, putting him in a strong position to secure a salary increase. He finished with career-best 4,319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
The Vikings may look to retain Darnold
Although there are no signs yet of a contract extension between the Vikings and Sam Darnold, according to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler on SportsCenter, reports suggest that the Minnesota franchise may look to retain the QB for the upcoming season.
“I’m told, that they (Vikings) are open to him (Darnold) coming back on a new deal. You know, talking to people around the league with other teams, they are skeptical that the Vikings would go the franchise tag route right now, because you’re looking at close to $40 million on a one year deal, which maybe that could facilitate a tag and trade, but that’s high coin for a player that is going to get a nice, robust market, but maybe not that high.”
