Sam Darnold had an epic season with the Vikings in 2024, blowing away expectations and rejuvenating his career. The question over the past few months has been whether Minnesota would pay through the nose for him to return on a long-term deal after drafting J.

The Steelers are projected to land Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold in free agency to replace Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

The Vikings chose not to franchise-tag Darnold, who is coming off a career year, but Minnesota could find a way to keep the veteran QB.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated sees a very specific contract that Fields can garner either from the Steelers or someone else. He compared it to Sam Darnold’s one-year, $10 million from a year ago. That is what Breer believes could get it done.

Sam Darnold is widely considered the crown jewel of the 2025 free-agent quarterback class. And reasonably so, considering he's firmly in the prime of his career

The Vikings are moving forward with addressing Sam Darnold and his 2025 future. However, the franchise tag won't be used.

It looks like money may have been a factor in Seattle’s trade of quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday, opening the way for Vikings free agent Sam Darnold to possibly end up with the Seahawks.

The quarterback still could re-sign with the Vikings, but he remains eligible for unrestricted free agency next week.