Report: Vikings Want Sam Darnold Back on New Contract in 2025 Despite McCarthy Pick

The Minnesota Vikings made J.J. McCarthy their quarterback of the future when they selected him with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, but that future may have to wait after Sam Darnold's excellent season.

"They spent a first-round pick on J.J. McCarthy last spring and Darnold is in for a big payday in March. Despite that, after conversations with a team source, one thing is clear: The Vikings want Darnold back in Minnesota for 2025," Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported.

Minnesota made the veteran a bridge quarterback when he signed a one-year, $10 million deal last offseason. He was thrust into the starting role when McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee before the season.

That seemed to be quite problematic for the Vikings at the time considering Darnold was a combined 21-35 as a starter during his time on the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers before this year.

Darnold was particularly disappointing in New York after the Jets selected him with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft. Rather than live up to expectations as the franchise quarterback, he threw 39 touchdowns in 38 games and was on a different team in his fourth season.

Yet everything has changed in Minnesota.

The 27-year-old has completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,776 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while going 13-2 as a starter. The Vikings are in the middle of the race for the No. 1 seed in the NFC and could set up a winner-take showdown with the Detroit Lions if they defeat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

At some point, the Vikings will surely want to see what McCarthy offers. Yet potentially landing the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs is impossible to ignore, and it seems like the NFC North team wants to continue building momentum with Darnold.