The New York Jets have some big quarterback questions to answer this offseason. With Aaron Rodgers’ football future up in the air, the team must start evaluating potential alternatives.
One includes former Jets quarterback Sam Darnold who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini was asked about Darnold during an interview with radio host Jake Asman.
“Sam Darnold, I always thought was a talented guy, he just wasn’t working here in New York. He probably needed a change of scenery. Good for him, he’s going to get a massive contract from someone this offseason. Good for him. He put in the work, he rehabilitated – I think last year was good for him, just having a year with Kyle Shanahan,” Cimini said on “The Jake Asman Show” on ESPN880 in New York. “I don’t know where it’ll be. Minnesota? Maybe Tennessee or somewhere like that but I’d be willing to bet anything that he is not going to come back to the Jets.”
For #Jets fans holding their breath about a potential Sam Darnold reunion in 2025, don’t count on it.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini told @JakeAsman, ‘I’d be willing to bet anything that he is not going to come back to the Jets.’ 😳😭
📻 @880ESPNNewYork, @JakeAsmanShow #JetUp #SKOL… pic.twitter.com/1K7zF5M8RY
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) December 26, 2024
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According to Spotrac’s calculated market value, Darnold is expected to sign a four-year deal worth $141 million. That projected $35.4 million annual salary would make him the No. 14 highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
Darnold Might Cost Even More Than That…
The former USC product will hit free agency at the ripe age of 27. If Darnold was told he could sign for that amount of money a year ago he would have taken it.
However, your value includes a lot of different variables. Of course how good you are matters, but it also is important to note who else is available.
It’s a supply-and-demand business. If you’re the only commodity in town, your value increases by default.
When you take a gander at the free-agent quarterback class that is going to be available it leaves a lot to be desired.
Darnold and Russell Wilson of the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only two surefire starting quarterbacks who are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents in 2025. Everyone else who will be available at QB is completely unproven.
Wilson is nine years older than Darnold and he seems to have found a forever home with Pittsburgh. That would leave Darnold as the only top available quarterback with a lot of NFL teams fighting for his services.
All of a sudden Darnold could go from a projected $35 million per year contract to something comfortably in the $45 million per year ballpark, if not higher.
A Jets – Darnold Family Reunion in 2025?
It would be sort of poetic for Darnold to be drafted by the Jets in 2018, struggle, get traded away, and for him many years later to return to the team where it all started.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini is probably right, a Darnold return to the Jets is a longshot. He is going to have a ton of options that include staying in Minnesota or simply going to the highest bidder in free agency.
It should be noted that the regime that drafted Darnold and the one that traded him away is no longer at 1 Jets Drive. The green and white will have a couple of new sheriffs in town by the time he’s making the decision on his football future.
Darnold is having a career season with the Vikings in 2025. The team is 13-2 and has a path to the No. 1 seed in the NFC conference. He has thrown for 3,776 passing yards, has a 32 touchdown to 11 interception ratio, and has completed 67.2% of his passes. All of those statistical milestones are new career highs for the seven-year pro.
