The Minnesota Vikings have benefited from Sam Darnold’s play this year. He is set to be a free agent since he signed a one-year deal with the team this offseason.
When ESPN wrote about the upcoming free agent class, they ranked the players, and Sam Darnold came in rather high compared to others.
Matt Bowen wrote that Darnold should be a rather popular quarterback option for teams. He writes, “With his arm strength and mobility, Darnold will have options on the market if he can produce over the second half of the season.” He has shown his year he can be more than a bridge quarterback; the money he earns this Spring could also reflect that.
However, on the note of being a bridge, Jeremy Fowler writes that “Darnold and Minnesota are 7-2 together, so entertaining a bridge deal while the team continues to develop McCarthy behind the scenes shouldn’t be completely off the table.”
If Darnold were to return, McCarthy and his knee would be in a completely different situation to justify it.
