Sam Darnold's Top Landing Spots, Contract Projection After Franchise Tag Deadline

Sam Darnold is officially set to hit the free agent market after a career season with the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings opted not to use their franchise tag on Darnold ahead of the deadline on Tuesday, meaning he'll have the chance to field offers from other teams this offseason.

Ahead of the start of free agency, here's a look at Darnold's contract projection and some of the teams he could be a fit to join.

Sam Darnold Contract Projection

Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Darnold went from being a backup quarterback to a Pro Bowler in one season. Now he's probably going to get paid like the latter.

Darnold threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024. His yardage and touchdown total were both fifth in the NFL and career-highs for the seventh-year player.

Behind Darnold's breakout season, the Vikings went 14-3, collecting their most wins since 1998. The magical season ultimately came to an end with a wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Darnold's value potentially took a hit with rough performances in the Vikings' season finale agains the Detroit Lions as well as the wild-card round, but he should still get a sizable from the one-year, $10 million deal he played on in 2024.

Spotrac gives the 27-year-old a market value of $40.1 million per year, which would be similar to the 2024 salaries of players like Josh Allen, Matt Stafford and Aaron Rodgers.

Sam Darnold's Top Landing Spots

Bruce Yeung/Getty Images

There aren't a ton of big names hitting the free agent market this offseason. It's primarily backups with a handful of veterans like Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and others mixed in.

That bodes well for Darnold as he'll get plenty of interest from quarterback-needy teams.

Some of those teams include:

• Minnesota Vikings
• Las Vegas Raiders
• Indianapolis Colts
• New York Giants

The Vikings have a leg up on other teams since they've been around Darnold all year and have likely spent the last few weeks discussing a possible deal. Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported Tuesday that there is "mutual interest" between both sides on a return in 2025.

Going back to the Vikings makes sense for Darnold given he had a career year under Kevin O'Connell and Minnesota's coaching staff. He also would get to continue throwing to one of the best wide receivers in the league in Justin Jefferson.

The Raiders could propose an interesting situation for Darnold. While heading to Las Vegas would mean joining a rebuilding team, he'd get to play under legendary coaches Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly.

It's also worth noting the USC connection between Darnold and Carroll.

The Colts were not far from being a playoff contender in 2024 despite struggles under center. If Indianapolis can recruit Darnold, it could lead to major improvements.

The Colts have plenty of talent as they had three wide receivers with more than 800 receiving yards in 2024. They also play in a relatively weak division which could give Darnold the chance to compete for years to come.

The Giants, on the other hand, were far from being competitive in 2024, but one could argue they have the tools necessary to be a playoff-caliber team in 2025. That obviously starts at quarterback and Darnold could be the best option.

New York certainly isn't the most desirable location this offseason, but the Giants have plenty of cap space to work with. The prospect of playing with wide receiver Malik Nabers, a star in the making, could be enough for Darnold to head to the Big Apple.

One thing that Darnold will keep in mind is that the Vikings have a young quarterback in J.J. McCarthy sitting behind him. Darnold might not be seen as a long-term option for Minnesota, and that could end up being the deciding factor if he decides to leave.