Appearing confident to move onto J.J. McCarthy next season, the Vikings must find a trade suitor for Darnold before the franchise tag window closes on March 4. If Minnesota cannot find a trade partner, they will likely refuse to tag Darnold and let him walk to what is expected to be a competitive free agency.

With Matthew Stafford agreeing to a restructured contract to stay with the Los Angeles Rams, Sam Darnold is now on track to be the most coveted veteran quarterback of the 2025 market. While the Minnesota Vikings have interest in re-signing their 2024 starter,