It’s hard to believe that Sam Darnold has been in the league for six years. Already on his fourth team in seven seasons, he has finally found a place where he excels and can showcase his full potential. The Vikings have given him a perfect situation, and many believe he should be in Minnesota for a few more years.
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However, that might not be the case, with rumors circulating that the club might not need his services beyond this season. But Chase Daniel believes they should commit him to a long-term deal.
During an episode of ‘The Facility,’ Daniel argued that the Vikings should give Darnold a 2-3 years deal, owing to his recent performance. According to Daniel, Darnold has turned his career around under Kevin O-Connell, and the team keeps winning with him as the starting QB. That is especially remarkable given that they compete in the toughest division.
“I don’t care about dynamics, commit to him long-term term. He has this team at 11-2. The most important thing for a QB is can you win. After that, they’re winning. No one thought that they would do that after they got rid of Cousins. I love the way Sam Darnold’s playing in Kevin O’Connell’s offense. If you sign him back, I think that’s the right move.”
Chase believes signing Sam will be an optimal decision on the part of not only Minnesota but also other franchises looking for a QB who has turned things around. The former Jets QB has shown that he can overcome adversity and perform despite poor performances in the past.
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Darnold this season has eleven wins under his belt, throwing for 3299 yards, 28 Touchdowns, and 10 picks. He has a passer rating of 108.1 and an accuracy of 68.4 percent. In the last four games, he has 1100 yards, good enough for 4th position in the NFL.
In those four games, Darnold had thrown 11 TD passes and no interceptions with a passer rating of 126.7.
If the Vikings sign him on a new contract, like Chase Daniel wants, they would need to offer him a bigger piece of the pie. It will be a lot more than what they are giving him this season.
Sam Darnold’s current contract
The Vikings signed Darnold on a one-year deal as a bridge QB for their star 1st round pick, JJ McCarthy. The plan always has been to let Darnold play this season while allowing McCarthy to get acquainted with the system. For this purpose, they were willing to give him good money, a lot more than the league minimum for veterans.
As per Spotrac, Sam signed a one-year contract worth $10 million with the team. This included a $6.25 million signing bonus and $8.75 million in guaranteed money. He will be a free agent at the start of the next season. This was always going to be the case, whether McCarthy got injured or not.
The Vikings spent the 10th overall pick on JJ and signed him on a four-year $21.85 million contract. If they chose to sign Darnold on a new three-year deal, it could be somewhat near $90 million, much similar to what Baker got after his stellar season with Tampa. However, unlike the Bucs, Minnesota already has someone they believe to be their franchise QB.
McCarthy is still an unknown quantity in the NFL. With Sam, the Vikings now know what they will be getting. But is it worth giving up that much in cap space?
There is no doubt that Sam Darnold is a good player who is having a stellar season but is it just him or Kevin O’Connell’s offensive playcalling and a great supporting cast? If Darnold can succeed in that system, it’s likely that McCarthy can too and he’s much cheaper and younger.
