Sam

[J. Kapp 11]

News out of Atlanta is that the Falcons will release Kirk Cousins prior to March 17, when they would owe him a $10 million roster bonus.

Since he played just 14 games after signing for $100 million guaranteed, that means the Falcons will have paid him $7.14 million PER GAME.

Sam Darnold will make $10 million for the entire season.

For the first time since 2018, the Vikings win at the bargaining table against team Cousins.

[cogitator]

News out of Atlanta is that the Falcons will release Kirk Cousins prior to March 17, when they would owe him a $10 million roster bonus.

Since he played just 14 games after signing for $100 million guaranteed, that means the Falcons will have paid him $7.14 million PER GAME.

Sam Darnold will make $10 million for the entire season.

For the first time since 2018, the Vikings win at the bargaining table against team Cousins.

Short honeymoon. After I saw this I was wondering if yet another team will sign him to maybe a not huge contract, but something. He's done very well for himself financially, if there is a way to make more money I'm sure he'll find it. He played pretty well for the first half of the season, I'm thinking somewhere there is a team who could use him. Titans or Raiders possibly.

[CharVike]

News out of Atlanta is that the Falcons will release Kirk Cousins prior to March 17, when they would owe him a $10 million roster bonus.

Since he played just 14 games after signing for $100 million guaranteed, that means the Falcons will have paid him $7.14 million PER GAME.

Sam Darnold will make $10 million for the entire season.

For the first time since 2018, the Vikings win at the bargaining table against team Cousins.

Short honeymoon. After I saw this I was wondering if yet another team will sign him to maybe a not huge contract, but something. He's done very well for himself financially, if there is a way to make more money I'm sure he'll find it. He played pretty well for the first half of the season, I'm thinking somewhere there is a team who could use him. Titans or Raiders possibly.

You never know when it will end for a player. He's played many games and is basically an old timer now. What I think is funny all the experts creamed the Falcons for taking Penix. They found out the hard way what it's like with nothing at QB for several season so they doubled down this year. We saw it last year for half a season and it basically turned us into an embarrassment. That 3-0 Raider game could be called the most boring and uninspired game we ever played. Didn't hear to much about QB whisperer KOC during that time frame. Cpt Kirk might have been the most hated player I ever seen play for us. I was a fan because I saw all the stiffs since 1970 outside of Fran of course. I don't see any reason to dump JJM or lose Darnold unless we can get the entire farm in a trade. Having nothing at QB kills the season before it starts.

[StumpHunter]

Current Vikings' starters who are free agents next year:
Sam Darnold
Harrison Smith
Byron Murphy
Aaron Jones
Stephon Gilmore
Shaq Griffin
Cam Bynum
Dalton Risner
Ryan Wright (who cares)
Jonathon Bullard

Others with a major role on the team:
Jihad Ward
Pat Jones II
Cam Akers
Jerry Tillery

That is almost their entire secondary, most of their IDL and all of their viable RBs. The Vikings do have 73.5 million in cap once Smith's void years are accelerated, but if they sign Darnold that drops to around 40 depending on how they structure his deal. If they tag him it drops to 32 million.

If the Vikings aren't good enough to compete for a championship this year, and it could very well be that they are, if they sign Darnold there is not enough salary cap or draft picks to make them into one next year, especially if Flores walks. Heck, if they are good enough this year extending Darnold makes it difficult to maintain the status quo and the team is likely going to regress.

Is that worth it for a QB who had the 11th worst career passer rating of any QB to start a game since 2018 prior to joining the Vikings? Or would it be a smarter move to possibly take a step back in the short term with what is essentially a rookie QB in McCarthy and Daniel Jones who was actually better statistically than Darnold on his bad team in NY, while making the team around the QB better.

Or in other words, if we all recognize that a team and coaching can be so good it can make a QB of Darnold's level look really good, why not make the team even better and make it even more QB proof versus clinging to a QB because we are worried things will get worse if he leaves? Haven't we been down this road before where people were afraid to move on from a QB and not only were we okay, but we actually got much better? Shouldn't we learn from our mistakes instead of continuing to repeat them?

I personally don't think Darnold is worth the team taking a step back, and don't see him as being good enough to hide the deficiencies a large QB salary will bring. He isn't on the same level as Burrow, Jackson, Allen or Mahomes. I don't think he is even on the same levels Goff, Herbert, Love, or Tua. He is Dereck Carr or Geno Smith right now and neither are good enough. That all changes if he continues to grow in this offense, but I am not going to hold my breath that a guy who has been as bad as he has will turn into that tier 1 QB. Especially when I go back and watch the tape even with the Vikings and seeing so many missed opportunities.

[J. Kapp 11]

Current Vikings' starters who are free agents next year:
Sam Darnold
Harrison Smith
Byron Murphy
Aaron Jones
Stephon Gilmore
Shaq Griffin
Cam Bynum
Dalton Risner
Ryan Wright (who cares)
Jonathon Bullard

Others with a major role on the team:
Jihad Ward
Pat Jones II
Cam Akers
Jerry Tillery

That is almost their entire secondary, most of their IDL and all of their viable RBs. The Vikings do have 73.5 million in cap once Smith's void years are accelerated, but if they sign Darnold that drops to around 40 depending on how they structure his deal. If they tag him it drops to 32 million.

If the Vikings aren't good enough to compete for a championship this year, and it could very well be that they are, if they sign Darnold there is not enough salary cap or draft picks to make them into one next year, especially if Flores walks. Heck, if they are good enough this year extending Darnold makes it difficult to maintain the status quo and the team is likely going to regress.

Is that worth it for a QB who had the 11th worst career passer rating of any QB to start a game since 2018 prior to joining the Vikings? Or would it be a smarter move to possibly take a step back in the short term with what is essentially a rookie QB in McCarthy and Daniel Jones who was actually better statistically than Darnold on his bad team in NY, while making the team around the QB better.

Or in other words, if we all recognize that a team and coaching can be so good it can make a QB of Darnold's level look really good, why not make the team even better and make it even more QB proof versus clinging to a QB because we are worried things will get worse if he leaves? Haven't we been down this road before where people were afraid to move on from a QB and not only were we okay, but we actually got much better? Shouldn't we learn from our mistakes instead of continuing to repeat them?

I personally don't think Darnold is worth the team taking a step back, and don't see him as being good enough to hide the deficiencies a large QB salary will bring. He isn't on the same level as Burrow, Jackson, Allen or Mahomes. I don't think he is even on the same levels Goff, Herbert, Love, or Tua. He is Dereck Carr or Geno Smith right now and neither are good enough. That all changes if he continues to grow in this offense, but I am not going to hold my breath that a guy who has been as bad as he has will turn into that tier 1 QB. Especially when I go back and watch the tape even with the Vikings and seeing so many missed opportunities.

I think you’re dead wrong.

He’s every bit as good as Goff, Herbert, Love or Tua. Every bit. And he proved it again today against Seattle.

Sam Darnold has been “as bad as he has” because he was in a toxic environment, playing for a team in the Jets that had no idea how to use him. Go read the damn article about Woody Johnson out there rejecting moves his team wanted to make because his teenage boys told him the players’ Madden ratings were too low.

Jesus, man. The guy just had his 12th game with a passer rating of 100+. No quarterback in Vikings history has done that. He orchestrated his fifth 4th quarter comeback of the season, even though the Vikings didn’t need one for the first five games. If you can’t see that Sam Darnold has grown in this offense, then you’re choosing not to look.

[VikingLord]

I personally don't think Darnold is worth the team taking a step back, and don't see him as being good enough to hide the deficiencies a large QB salary will bring. He isn't on the same level as Burrow, Jackson, Allen or Mahomes. I don't think he is even on the same levels Goff, Herbert, Love, or Tua. He is Dereck Carr or Geno Smith right now and neither are good enough. That all changes if he continues to grow in this offense, but I am not going to hold my breath that a guy who has been as bad as he has will turn into that tier 1 QB. Especially when I go back and watch the tape even with the Vikings and seeing so many missed opportunities.

Welcome back Stump! The board has missed your perspective IMHO.

As far as what you had to say here goes, he deserves his chance to show what he can do this year. For all Darnold's faults, the guy plays his a$$ off when the team needs him the most. Further, I think the guys around him genuinely respect him as a person and a leader and will elevate their play following his lead.

They've got a long way to go yet and I understand where you're coming from. I've watched other QBs who put together Cinderella seasons only to revert to the means of their overall careers. Darnold could be one of those guys. But if he takes the Vikings somewhere special this year, I'd be totally on board with them bringing him back on a longer-term deal if possible.

[J. Kapp 11]

Everybody’s worried about a potential Darnold salary-cap hit in a Super Bowl window. It’s yet another reason people want to get rid of him (or simply an excuse because they think he’s bound to start playing like the Jets version of Darnold).

It’s nonsense.

Most are calling for a slightly elevated version of the 3-year, $100 million contract Baker Mayfield signed with Tampa Bay. So let’s go with that. Let’s say 3 years, $111 million, or an average annual value of $37 million a year.

Make $25 million of that a signing bonus and add two void years.

Salaries over the 3 years
2025 $15 million
2026 $30 million
2027 $41 million

That makes the cap hits as follows
2025 $20 million
2026 $35 million
2027 $46 million

The Vikings have $78 million in projected cap space in 2025. A Darnold hit of $20 million would still leave them $58 million to re-sign their own pending free agents they want to keep, plus a few impact players. Cap space of $58 million would still put them in the top 12 of the NFL, and that’s AFTER extending Darnold.

If you decide to trade McCarthy, you only do it for a first-round pick. If you keep him, then it turns into an Alex Smith/Patrick Mahomes situation, where McCarthy learns, and you can still trade one of them down the road.

I firmly believe the Vikings will make a good-faith effort to keep Darnold. And I believe Darnold would be motivated to stay. It’s the best situation he could possibly be in.

[CharVike]

Current Vikings' starters who are free agents next year:
Sam Darnold
Harrison Smith
Byron Murphy
Aaron Jones
Stephon Gilmore
Shaq Griffin
Cam Bynum
Dalton Risner
Ryan Wright (who cares)
Jonathon Bullard

Others with a major role on the team:
Jihad Ward
Pat Jones II
Cam Akers
Jerry Tillery

That is almost their entire secondary, most of their IDL and all of their viable RBs. The Vikings do have 73.5 million in cap once Smith's void years are accelerated, but if they sign Darnold that drops to around 40 depending on how they structure his deal. If they tag him it drops to 32 million.

If the Vikings aren't good enough to compete for a championship this year, and it could very well be that they are, if they sign Darnold there is not enough salary cap or draft picks to make them into one next year, especially if Flores walks. Heck, if they are good enough this year extending Darnold makes it difficult to maintain the status quo and the team is likely going to regress.

Is that worth it for a QB who had the 11th worst career passer rating of any QB to start a game since 2018 prior to joining the Vikings? Or would it be a smarter move to possibly take a step back in the short term with what is essentially a rookie QB in McCarthy and Daniel Jones who was actually better statistically than Darnold on his bad team in NY, while making the team around the QB better.

Or in other words, if we all recognize that a team and coaching can be so good it can make a QB of Darnold's level look really good, why not make the team even better and make it even more QB proof versus clinging to a QB because we are worried things will get worse if he leaves? Haven't we been down this road before where people were afraid to move on from a QB and not only were we okay, but we actually got much better? Shouldn't we learn from our mistakes instead of continuing to repeat them?

I personally don't think Darnold is worth the team taking a step back, and don't see him as being good enough to hide the deficiencies a large QB salary will bring. He isn't on the same level as Burrow, Jackson, Allen or Mahomes. I don't think he is even on the same levels Goff, Herbert, Love, or Tua. He is Dereck Carr or Geno Smith right now and neither are good enough. That all changes if he continues to grow in this offense, but I am not going to hold my breath that a guy who has been as bad as he has will turn into that tier 1 QB. Especially when I go back and watch the tape even with the Vikings and seeing so many missed opportunities.

We already tried to sign Bynum this off season but it fell through. He priced himself off the roster. Risner who I like sucks as a G and that's why no team but us offered him a contract this year. He's either here on a cheap deal or out of football. Not too many all pros on that list of FA. Jones can't throw a deep ball. Those deeper out routes that Darnold throws would need to be removed from the playbook. That tightens the middle. Any team could sign him right now for nothing. No takers. He can join Mullens in the FA market this off season. I don't know what mistakes this current group has made at the QB position. They kept loser Kirk because the roster was empty behind him. They moved on at the right time. How many top level guys do we have on the OL? I would trade our entire OL group to the Lions for their group. They would say get lost. That shows the talent level of that group. I see Goff stand there waiting for people to clear. Sammy don't get that very often. He usually needs to scramble out of the mess created by our OL and then gets smashed after he throws. I don't see a top to bottom strength the same as you. We all have opinions.

[Cliff]

Everybody’s worried about a potential Darnold salary-cap hit in a Super Bowl window. It’s yet another reason people want to get rid of him (or simply an excuse because they think he’s bound to start playing like the Jets version of Darnold).

It’s nonsense.

Most are calling for a slightly elevated version of the 3-year, $100 million contract Baker Mayfield signed with Tampa Bay. So let’s go with that. Let’s say 3 years, $111 million, or an average annual value of $37 million a year.

Make $25 million of that a signing bonus and add two void years.

Salaries over the 3 years
2025 $15 million
2026 $30 million
2027 $41 million

That makes the cap hits as follows
2025 $20 million
2026 $35 million
2027 $46 million

The Vikings have $78 million in projected cap space in 2025. A Darnold hit of $20 million would still leave them $58 million to re-sign their own pending free agents they want to keep, plus a few impact players. Cap space of $58 million would still put them in the top 12 of the NFL, and that’s AFTER extending Darnold.

If you decide to trade McCarthy, you only do it for a first-round pick. If you keep him, then it turns into an Alex Smith/Patrick Mahomes situation, where McCarthy learns, and you can still trade one of them down the road.

I firmly believe the Vikings will make a good-faith effort to keep Darnold. And I believe Darnold would be motivated to stay. It’s the best situation he could possibly be in.

I completely agree with this. I think Darnold has had his fill of dumpster fire organizations.

The only thing that will separate Darnold from the Vikings at this point is if someone "makes him an offer he can't refuse". Dak Prescott type money. The Vikings won't offer that, I don't think, and he would be a fool to not take it.

I don't think there's any chance the team puts a tag on him to keep him here for less than another team offers. I think the team wants to be seen as "player friendly" and using the tag like that is looked down upon by players.

[CharVike]

Everybody’s worried about a potential Darnold salary-cap hit in a Super Bowl window. It’s yet another reason people want to get rid of him (or simply an excuse because they think he’s bound to start playing like the Jets version of Darnold).

It’s nonsense.

Most are calling for a slightly elevated version of the 3-year, $100 million contract Baker Mayfield signed with Tampa Bay. So let’s go with that. Let’s say 3 years, $111 million, or an average annual value of $37 million a year.

Make $25 million of that a signing bonus and add two void years.

Salaries over the 3 years
2025 $15 million
2026 $30 million
2027 $41 million

That makes the cap hits as follows
2025 $20 million
2026 $35 million
2027 $46 million

The Vikings have $78 million in projected cap space in 2025. A Darnold hit of $20 million would still leave them $58 million to re-sign their own pending free agents they want to keep, plus a few impact players. Cap space of $58 million would still put them in the top 12 of the NFL, and that’s AFTER extending Darnold.

If you decide to trade McCarthy, you only do it for a first-round pick. If you keep him, then it turns into an Alex Smith/Patrick Mahomes situation, where McCarthy learns, and you can still trade one of them down the road.

I firmly believe the Vikings will make a good-faith effort to keep Darnold. And I believe Darnold would be motivated to stay. It’s the best situation he could possibly be in.

I completely agree with this. I think Darnold has had his fill of dumpster fire organizations.

The only thing that will separate Darnold from the Vikings at this point is if someone "makes him an offer he can't refuse". Dak Prescott type money. The Vikings won't offer that, I don't think, and he would be a fool to not take it.

I don't think there's any chance the team puts a tag on him to keep him here for less than another team offers. I think the team wants to be seen as "player friendly" and using the tag like that is looked down upon by players.

Nice write up from both of you. I agree if Darnold gets Dak money then he has to take it. I don't see a team offering that. But I never thought old beat up and injured Kirk would get offered what he did either. Many teams need QBs including the team we just beat. He's lucky we dropped a couple interceptions.

[VikingLord]

Current Vikings' starters who are free agents next year:
Sam Darnold
Harrison Smith
Byron Murphy
Aaron Jones
Stephon Gilmore
Shaq Griffin
Cam Bynum
Dalton Risner
Ryan Wright (who cares)
Jonathon Bullard

Others with a major role on the team:
Jihad Ward
Pat Jones II
Cam Akers
Jerry Tillery

That is almost their entire secondary, most of their IDL and all of their viable RBs. The Vikings do have 73.5 million in cap once Smith's void years are accelerated, but if they sign Darnold that drops to around 40 depending on how they structure his deal. If they tag him it drops to 32 million.

This isn't just interesting from the perspective of who can the Vikings bring back next year, assuming they won a Superbowl this year, but is also interesting from the perspective of how sustainable that success might be over the duration of a longer-term extension for a QB like Darnold. In other words, was this year's Vikings team built with the longer term in mind, or was it built to be a stepping stone on the path to the team KOC and KAM want to build in the future?

Given all those names hitting free agency, especially on the defensive side of the football, along with the fact that Darnold was pretty much signed for the vet minimum at QB on a one year deal, I'd say it's far more likely to be the latter than the former view of what each want the team to ultimately be.

And that makes me wonder if the Vikings do end up winning something substantial this year, it still might be better to try to maximize the fruits of that success over the longer term and recognize that success likely isn't sustainable even if every player on that list was re-signed for a longer term deal.

Harrison Smith, for example, probably won't be back regardless. Ditto for Gilmore and Griffin. Aaron Jones isn't on that list, but how much can he have left in the tank? Dalton Risner is in the same general boat.

I totally understand the desire to bring Sam Darnold back on a longer-term deal, especially if this year's team does something special in the playoffs, but the more I look at the team as it stands right now, the less convinced I am that would be the best move for the longer term. Darnold is a little different in that there is precedent for a younger QB to sit and develop behind an established starter, and McCarthy is young and has that time, so giving Darnold a two year deal or a three year deal with a voidable final year while allowing McCarthy to develop without a ton of pressure makes sense even if the Vikings don't win the Superbowl this year, but I still think KAM and KOC have to keep their eyes on the longer term prize which is the dominant, year-over-year team I think they are building towards over the next 2 or so years. And I think that if they're going to get that team on the field, it's going to be ultimately be helmed by a guy like McCarthy.

Plus, I don't see even a QB needy team giving up a top 10 draft pick for McCarthy. McCarthy has done almost nothing to this point and spent most of his rookie year recovering from a non-contact knee injury. He was a prospect who I suspect many felt was over-drafted even if that wasn't his fault. If a team were willing to give up a top 10 pick for him, KAM would have to seriously consider taking that offer, but I personally don't see that happening.

[makila]

Any team could sign him right now for nothing. No takers. He can join Mullens in the FA market this off season.

This isn't entirely true. They'd have to put Jones on their active roster if they did. And since most teams are wanting their backup qb to have familiarity with their system, it makes some sense that teams haven't made the move. There are guidelines when signing a PS player from another team.

If koc wants to work with him then I defer to koc. Is koc responsible for the steps forward Darnold took this year? I think so. And if he wanted to do the same with Jones, then I think he's earned that right.

Our qb room right now has three under 30 year old top 10 picks (ok Jones was a complete reach ha). And a head coach that's shown an ability to get the best football out of qbs. We are in a great spot imho.

I think the big question is, how much does Darnold value the structure koc has around him? If he does, I think the Baker type contract is a real possibility. If he views it the way Kirk did, then best of luck.

I see a very real world where Jones and JJM are the two guys going into next year's camp.

We are all speculating on what they think JJMs future is. I remember reading numerous people here, bloggers, and others in the media who said Darnold was trash and it was going to be a problem if he was the starter all season. Obviously the majority were very wrong. Fans gonna fan.

[CharVike]

Any team could sign him right now for nothing. No takers. He can join Mullens in the FA market this off season.

This isn't entirely true. They'd have to put Jones on their active roster if they did. And since most teams are wanting their backup qb to have familiarity with their system, it makes some sense that teams haven't made the move. There are guidelines when signing a PS player from another team.

If koc wants to work with him then I defer to koc. Is koc responsible for the steps forward Darnold took this year? I think so. And if he wanted to do the same with Jones, then I think he's earned that right.

Our qb room right now has three under 30 year old top 10 picks (ok Jones was a complete reach ha). And a head coach that's shown an ability to get the best football out of qbs. We are in a great spot imho.

I think the big question is, how much does Darnold value the structure koc has around him? If he does, I think the Baker type contract is a real possibility. If he views it the way Kirk did, then best of luck.

I see a very real world where Jones and JJM are the two guys going into next year's camp.

We are all speculating on what they think JJMs future is. I remember reading numerous people here, bloggers, and others in the media who said Darnold was trash and it was going to be a problem if he was the starter all season. Obviously the majority were very wrong. Fans gonna fan.

He would need to be on the roster so a body would be cut. I thought Darnold was a bum. Even the 49ers let him walk and they know how important a backup QB is. Here we are now fighting for the division title. I never saw this coming. It's good for every player and fan.

[makila]

We offered more money, and a real opportunity to potentially start. Minnesota made more sense than staying as a backup in San Francisco for less money.

I think one of the big lessons, this should be a reminder to everyone that coaching, structure, scheme, Etc all matter. We're so quick to label quarterbacks who are young as bust, who land in horrible situations and never have a real opportunity to succeed. That was the situation Daniel Jones found himself in too imho.

Our qb room is in good shape right now. Very different than 12 months ago. Haha.

Let's build up the rest of our roster while we have the opportunity. Important off season at a lot of starting spots, as noted above by Stump. We've seen this movie before, and I want to be smart this off season, not emotional.

[CharVike]

We offered more money, and a real opportunity to potentially start. Minnesota made more sense than staying as a backup in San Francisco for less money.

I think one of the big lessons, this should be a reminder to everyone that coaching, structure, scheme, Etc all matter. We're so quick to label quarterbacks who are young as bust, who land in horrible situations and never have a real opportunity to succeed. That was the situation Daniel Jones found himself in too imho.

Our qb room is in good shape right now. Very different than 12 months ago. Haha.

Let's build up the rest of our roster while we have the opportunity. Important off season at a lot of starting spots, as noted above by Stump. We've seen this movie before, and I want to be smart this off season, not emotional.

Jones played well enough to get $92 million guarantee. I only seen him play us 3 times. He shredded us in the playoffs and also had a good regular season game the same year. This year he looked real bad. Gave us an easy 7 when he telegraphed his dump off and Gink picked it off and walked it in. I don't like his pop gun arm. The deep outs Darnold has proven he can throw that don't exist with Jones. As KOC said this week Darnold can drive the ball to the chalk. That's a huge advantage for us. Our QB room is very different. But if Darnold gets knocked out it will be noodle arm Nick again. That sounds like the same old story. I think the movie is much different than I've seen over the last decade +. Our HC is the only one we ever had with 2 season at 13+ wins. It's only year 3. Year 2 was ruined when our QBs got hurt. Flores is an upgrade over Donatel. The only part of the movie which is the same is garbage on our IOL and now we are weak a LT because Darisaw's out. If we fall they will be the reason. It happened this last game again. Couldn't run the ball well and Darnold was hoping on a bad ankle right before the last TD pass.
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