On Football: Sam Darnold should have plenty of options if the Vikings don't keep him

Sam Darnold’s shaky finish shouldn’t ruin his impressive season or impact his future.

Several NFL teams need a franchise quarterback and Darnold proved he can be that guy in Minnesota, becoming the first quarterback to record 14 wins in his first season with a team. He’s set to become a sought-after free agent unless the Vikings place a franchise tag on him.

Despite his struggles in Minnesota’s final two games, including a 27-9 loss to the Rams in a wild-card playoff, Darnold should have plenty of options in March if he hits the open market.

First, the Vikings have to decide if they want to keep Darnold or use their money to add pieces around J.J. McCarthy, who sat out his rookie season because of a knee injury.

“We got to see Sam play some incredible football for us, won a lot of big games,” general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah told reporters Thursday. “There were a lot of games where he was a win-because-of type of player. You also have to net that with all of (the games) in totality. I don’t want to give you the stock answer, but it really is. ... ‘What’s the team around him going to look like? (How) does this piece fit into our whole championship equation?’ We’ll do those exercises like we did last offseason.”

Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick by the New York Jets in 2018, finally lived up to expectations in his seventh season with his fourth team. Signed to a $10 million, one-year deal to be a bridge quarterback, Darnold became the starter when McCarthy went down in training camp.

Under coach Kevin O’Connell’s guidance, the 27-year-old Darnold thrived.

He threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, 12 interceptions with a passer rating of 102.5.

Darnold also became the fourth player in NFL history with 12 games with multiple TD passes and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in a season, joining Aaron Rodgers (14) Patrick Mahomes (13) and Matt Ryan (12).

But Darnold, who was picked for the Pro Bowl, had two of his worst games back to back when Minnesota needed him most.

The Vikings had a chance to earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed but lost 31-9 to Detroit in Week 18. They ended up as the No. 5 seed and were dominated by the Rams, who sacked Darnold nine times.

That led some analysts to speculate about Darnold’s future and whether two bad games cost him a bigger contract. The projected franchise tag for quarterbacks is $41.3 million and Darnold is still expected to get a multiyear deal with an average annual salary of at least $40 million.

“Sam should be very proud about the season he put together from start to finish,” O’Connell said. “He answered the bell day in and day out with his preparation. And really, I think he learned a lot about what he can be in this league. And I think he proved to the whole league that he can play a winning level at quarterback.”

Here are five teams besides the Vikings where Darnold would be a fit:

Pittsburgh Steelers

After starting 10-3, they lost five in a row. Russell Wilson (6-6) and Justin Fields (4-2) aren’t under contract for next season. Darnold could be viewed as a long-term solution for a team that’s been searching for an answer since Ben Roethlisberger retired.

New York Giants

Darnold’s three seasons with the Jets were miserable. But he had two coaches, two offensive coordinators and little help. The Giants have the third pick in the draft so they could miss out on one of the top two quarterbacks if Sheduer Sanders and Cam Ward are gone. If so, they’ll need a QB and Darnold already knows what it takes to play in the New York area.

GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll kept their jobs after a 3-14 season but they have to win now and Darnold is proven.

Las Vegas Raiders

Tom Brady’s new team needs a coach and a QB. Brady, who bought a minority stake in the Raiders, has a major say in the team’s direction. He’s often stated rookie quarterbacks need time to develop and shouldn’t start right away. With the No. 7 pick, Las Vegas won’t get a shot at one of the top QBs anyway. Darnold makes sense depending on who will be the coach and what the offense’s scheme will look like.

Cleveland Browns

Deshaun Watson reinjured his Achilles, opening a path for the Browns to move on from one of the worst acquisitions in league history. Watson’s tenure has been a disaster but he’s still owed a ton of money. Cleveland owns the No. 2 pick and will have an opportunity to draft a quarterback. Darnold might want to go to a team where he’ll be the starter without having to look over his shoulder. But the Browns could decide to trade the pick, stockpile draft assets and sign a young quarterback in Darnold and pair him with a coach who has been successful with Baker Mayfield and Joe Flacco.

Indianapolis Colts

The pressure is on to win in Indianapolis. Anthony Richardson has only started 15 games in two seasons, going 8-7. It’s too early to give up on a No. 4 overall pick but the Colts have to figure out how to win now. Darnold could team with coach Shane Steichen to be that upgrade.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press