The Sam Darnold saga is the most enjoyable narrative of the young NFL season. The third pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Darnold flamed out in New York with the Jets and in Carolina with the Panthers before spending a year working with Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers as a backup.
The Minnesota Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year deal in free agency to provide some depth at QB after losing Kirk Cousins. Once the franchise selected Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 draft, Darnold was seen as nothing more than a placeholder who will hold down the fort until the kid is ready. Then McCarthy suffered a knee injury and got knocked out for the season, thrusting Darnold into the spotlight—and he has killed, leading Minnesota to three straight wins while playing quality ball to start the year.
