Sam Darnold contract details: How much are Minnesota Vikings paying veteran QB in 2024?

Quarterback Sam Darnold's contract with the Minnesota Vikings indicated his value and presumed role at the time. It has since aged as an absolute steal for the team.

The Vikings, Darnold's fourth team, initially signed the former No. 3 overall pick to replace former franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins. In addition, he appeared to be the team's "bridge" quarterback to fill the starting role until a rookie gunslinger out of the 2024 NFL draft class was ready.

Things didn't quite go as planned. Rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy needed season-ending knee surgery in August, and Darnold stepped into the full-time starting role.

Over the first 14 weeks of the season, the veteran has played as if he has no intention to give up the job.

Darnold has been one of the best passers in the NFL this season, and his performance has earned him a value far beyond the contract he's currently playing on.

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Sam Darnold contract details

Darnold is in the final four weeks of a one-year, $10 million deal he signed last offseason after one year with the San Francisco 49ers. Below are the full details of the contract, per Spotrac.com:

• Term: 1 year

• Total value: $10 million

• Average annual value (AAV): $10 million

• Guaranteed money: $8.75 million

Darnold's contract value is just about in line with that of a "bridge" quarterback – or, in other words, a quarterback expected to fill more of a backup than a starter role.

For comparison, the Las Vegas Raiders signed Gardner Minshew to a two-year, $25 million deal in the offseason. Jacoby Brissett inked a one-year, $8 million deal with the New England Patriots in March.

Darnold's $10 million AAV falls right in between those two quarterbacks, who are serving as bridge options for their respective teams.

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Sam Darnold stats

Here are Darnold's stats through 13 games in 2024, including where his marks stack up among the rest of the NFL's quarterbacks:

• Completion rate: 264 of 386 (68.4%) - Seventh in the NFL

• Passing yards: 3,299 - Sixth

• Yards per attempt: 8.5 - Fourth

• Passing touchdowns: 28 - Tied for third

• Interceptions: 10 - Tied for sixth most

• Passer rating: 108.1 - Tied for third

Darnold and the Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears in the first game to kick off in a "Monday Night Football" doubleheader in Week 15.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sam Darnold contract details: How much is QB making in 2024?