An insider has revealed that the Vikings are considering a $53 million quarterback as a replacement for Kirk Cousins
In light of reports suggesting that the Minnesota Vikings have set their sights on Sam Darnold as a short-term replacement for Kirk Cousins, who is facing potential departure in just weeks, they are gearing up to bid farewell to the seasoned quarterback.
On February 25th, Pioneer Press writer Charley Walters stated that although Atlanta Falcons are interested in Cousins who is set to become a free agent on March 13th, the Vikings are also considering bringing Darnold onboard as an intermediate veteran player alongside their rookie quarterback.
Cousins is likely to join Atlanta, while rumors suggest the Vikings are mulling over signing Sam Darnold as a temporary quarterback until April’s draft. Walters suggests that if Cousins departs, Minnesota will need to evaluate whether they can trade up from their 11th pick in order to secure an exceptional quarterback.
Although Darnold may not be a high-profile name that excites fans, his experience as an NFL starter could effectively maintain the Vikings’ offense in 2024 (especially since Nick Mullens filled the role seamlessly). The goal of acquiring Darnold is to sustain competitiveness until they secure a top-tier quarterback prospect selected from the first round.
Nonetheless, there exist elevated expectations that Darnold may thrive later in his career similarly to Baker Mayfield’s progress last season.
This year’s Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold is generating a lot of attention.
Darnold, who was selected by the New York Jets as the third pick in the 2018 draft, gained recognition for his college abilities of arm strength and accuracy.
After three seasons with a struggling New York franchise, he was traded to the Carolina Panthers and they opted for his fifth-year option giving them two additional years to utilize the skills of this former USC star.
Carolina witnessed Darnold’s improvement by reducing turnovers, yet his ankle injury prompted the team to make a deal with Chicago Bears for first pick in 2023 draft. As a result of this decision, the Panthers released Darnold and confirmed their intention to select Bryce Young as their quarterback choice.
Following that, Darnold has served as a backup and learned under the guidance of Kyle Shanahan, head coach for San Francisco 49ers.
Similar to Mayfield, who collaborated with Sean McVay – a protégé of Shanahan – during his time at the Los Angeles Rams and subsequently steered Tampa Bay Buccaneers towards an unforeseen playoff appearance, Darnold has had some exposure to coaching that is favorable towards quarterbacks along with an offensive play-caller whose style complements his abilities.
The regular-season finale saw Darnold playing well, demonstrating his steadiness. He managed to connect on 16 out of 26 pass attempts (equivalent to a success rate of approximately 61.5%) and threw for an impressive yardage distance totaling up to 189 yards along with two touchdowns in total while he primarily had the support of backups during the challenging contest against Rams which ended as a narrow defeat at just one point behind them -21-20 losing score!
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, there is a possibility that Darnold could match the performance of Baker Mayfield this year. Additionally, the Vikings might also consider selecting a rookie quarterback as an insurance policy.
Pelissero predicted that Cousins will be a sought-after free agent, despite being 35 and recovering from an Achilles injury. He added that the Minnesota Vikings are exploring their options in case Cousins signs with another team or demands too high of a salary. If necessary, they would look for a more affordable veteran quarterback to fill the role instead.
Another potential player is Sam Darnold, a current backup for the 49ers. The hope is that he will emulate Baker Mayfield’s success this year and give them breathing space to train a rookie quarterback at the same time.
The Vikings coaching staff could be convinced to embrace Darnold, according to an ex-NFL executive.
In 2024, the Vikings may downgrade their quarterback position by swapping Cousins for Darnold; however, they have room to construct an improved roster with the budgetary flexibility provided by Darnold.
According to The Athletic, Randy Mueller, a former NFL executive stated that all parties must be in agreement with each other. However, the potential benefits of having a player like Darnold on your team at a cap cost of $10 million could sway coaches and allow for more financial flexibility within the organization.
In free agency, Cousins could potentially obtain a contract worth $45 million per year. On the other hand, Darnold’s previous agreement after his initial deal was affordable at $4.5 million annually despite having earned $53 million throughout his career thus far.
The prospect of Darnold competing with Brock Purdy and Trey Lance for the starting job led to the 49ers proposing a deal. The Vikings wouldn’t be outlandish in offering $10 million annually as part of such an agreement.
