The Minnesota Vikings opted not to place the franchise tag on quarterback Sam Darnold before Tuesday's deadline, meaning that Darnold will become a free agent next week. Though the Vikings are still interested in potentially bringing Darnold back to pair alongside J.J. McCarthy in the team’s QB room, Darnold will have the chance to test out the market and sign elsewhere.
The Vikings could have tagged Darnold and tried to trade him to get a return, but The Athletic's Alec Lewis and ESPN's Kevin Seifert noted that teams would be unlikely to spend a draft pick on Darnold and then pay him. Tagging him also would have limited their spending ability in free agency, which is especially crucial this year since the Vikings have just four picks in the draft.
