The people who run NFL teams are always looking for ways to maximize their waking hours, so when the 4–0 Minnesota Vikings take their flight to London this week they should utilize that time to hammer out an extension for Sam Darnold. Then they should not let him off the airplane until he signs it. Nothing illegal or anything; just strategically misplace his passport or something (maybe his government ID doesn’t have the mustache and that’ll tie him up in customs).
Through four weeks of the season, Darnold has been one of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL. Outside of the 11 touchdowns and three interceptions, Darnold has posted total EPAs (expected points added) of 11.2, 5.0, 0.7 and 11.8. His worst performance was a 109.1 quarterback rating against a San Francisco 49ers defense that is, while not statistically phenomenal to this point, capable of destroying a middling NFL offense. Through the early-afternoon window of games Sunday, Darnold was ninth in the NFL in EPA per dropback, second in passer rating and first in yards per attempt.
