Declined: Minnesota Vikings not utilizing franchise tag on Sam Darnold, reviews

The Minnesota Vikings are opting towards utilizing their franchise tag on quarterback Sam Darnold, ESPN reported. NFL groups had till Tuesday to resolve on putting a franchise tag on gamers. 

Darnold will now be eligible to discover the free agent market when it opens March 12, the official begin of the NFL’s new league 12 months. The transfer doesn’t assure Darnold’s departure as a result of the Vikings have signaled an curiosity in doubtlessly working towards an settlement on a long-term contract, in line with reviews.

There are a number of groups who will probably search so as to add an skilled quarterback to their rosters in the course of the free company interval, provided that this 12 months’s quarterback draft market is broadly thought-about thinner than the 2024 class.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold seems to throw towards the Atlanta Falcons in the course of the second quarter at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. (Matt Krohn/Imagn Pictures)

The franchise tag is a lever a workforce can use every offseason to maintain a key participant on an expiring contract from leaving whereas shopping for time for additional analysis of a long-term deal. However that one-year association comes at a steep fastened value based mostly on the highest salaries at a participant’s place. 

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For Darnold, that might’ve been between $35 million and $41 million for 2025, relying on the kind of tag.

Darnold led Minnesota to a formidable 14-3 document final season, however the Vikings’ brass is eyeing a number of spots on its roster for upgrades. The workforce’s entrance workplace used a first-round choose on quarterback J.J. McCarthy in final 12 months’s NFL Draft.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold pauses earlier than answering a query throughout a information convention after a wild-card playoff recreation towards the Los Angeles Rams Jan. 13, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photograph/Rick Scuteri)

Darnold delivered a powerful efficiency in his first season in Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

The Vikings have been busy weighing whether or not it is price banking on continued development by Darnold in a second season underneath O’Connell whereas McCarthy will get one other to observe and be taught after spending his rookie 12 months on injured reserve whereas recovering from a torn meniscus in his proper knee.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and fullback C.J. Ham (proper) earlier than a recreation towards the Detroit Lions at U.S. Financial institution Stadium in Minneapolis Oct. 20, 2024. (Jeffrey Becker/Imagn Pictures)

Though Darnold had a breakout common season, his efficiency within the playoffs raised issues. The Los Angeles Rams cruised to a 27-9 win of their postseason matchup with the Vikings. Darnold was sacked 9 occasions and threw an interception within the recreation.

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The Vikings can be in line for a compensatory draft choose in 2026 if Darnold had been to signal elsewhere this 12 months.

“I’ve had nice dialogue with Sam from the time this season ended up till very just lately, and I feel my relationship with Sam has grown to some extent the place the respect stage is sky-high,” O’Connell mentioned final week on the NFL scouting mix in Indianapolis. “Sam is able the place the NFL thinks he can play quarterback at a excessive stage, in order that’s a extremely good factor. And I really feel very proud to be part of serving to him get so far. We’ll see sort of the place it goes from right here.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.

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