Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz, senior NFL reporter Charles Robinson, and senior NFL writer Frank Schwab discuss whether Minnesota should bring back a seemingly rejuvenated Sam Darnold or turn the offense over to first-round pick J.J. McCarthy next season. Hear the full conversation on “Inside Coverage” – and subscribe on , , or
Video Transcript
If I’m the Vikings, I’m gonna franchise Sam Darnold.
I’m gonna make him stay, even though he doesn’t want to stay.
I don’t understand how the Vikings can let Sam Darnold walk out the door no matter what they think they might have in JJ McCarthy until they actually see JJ McCarthy on the field.
They probably run it back with this crew being Sam Darnold and JJ McCarthy in 2025.
The success has reached a level.
Where you start to lose some sensibility letting Sam Darnold go.
The way that Sam Darnold’s playing, the fit that he has with Kevin O’Connell, who, by the way, loves coaching him, the feel that he has for the scheme that is only going to improve going into year two, I think the Vikings.
Absolutely are headed in the direction where either he gets franchised, which I think is probably the more likely scenario, or he’s allowed to, hey, go ahead, go out there, look in free agency, we’ll see what’s available to you, and then come back to us because we think there’s something we can put on the table for both sides that makes a lot of sense.
And everyone’s talking about the Vikings, um.
You know, sort of angle on this, which makes sense because they hold all the cards, they hold the franchise tag.
They’re the ones that can decide whether they let him test free agency or not.
But you really should look at it from Sam Darnold’s perspective as well.
If he leaves, he threatens what is the apex of his career.
He has reached a point with a coach, with an offense, with surrounding skill position players, where he can look at his career and go, could I be here 10 years?
Yeah, I could.
Don’t think in terms of one contract.
Think in terms of 3 contracts.
Don’t think in terms of a 4-year deal.
Think in terms of 3 4-year deals.
But doesn’t the next question for Sam Darnold have to be Are you willing to punch JJ McCarthy?
Let’s say he comes back on a 4-year deal, right?
That’s JJ McCarthy’s entire rookie deal.
Charles talked about like multiple 4-year deals or whatever.
Sam Dar’s 27, I believe, which is kind of crazy.
I, I, so you’re talking about Frank, there’s a lot of doubt about him getting guaranteed money past 2 years.
Because teams look at him and they go, Justin Jefferson’s not coming, right?
Jordan A is not coming, right.
TJ, yeah, Kevin O’Connell, TJ Hawkins is not coming, right?
For the Vikings, it is 4-year deal, 2 years guaranteed.
If it doesn’t work out after 2 years, then you have McCarthy who sat there and, and gotten 3 years of experience.
That to me is the, the scenario that I think the Vikings, um, ultimately are, are looking at.