The Minnesota Vikings will have a job to fill if Sam Darnold departs in free agency and J.J. McCarthy takes the reins to a playoff-caliber offense absent a single snap of regular season NFL experience.
While it is far from a guarantee that Darnold takes a hike, the chances that he can command $40 million annually on the open market are reasonable. Should that happen, most insiders believe Minnesota won't spend to match it.
"If Darnold's market indeed comes in near $40 million per year, the Vikings will likely get priced out as they address other positions," Ben Solak of ESPN wrote.
That would leave Daniel Jones as a possible option for Minnesota behind McCarthy, after Jones chose the Vikings following his release from the New York Giants mid-season.
However, if Darnold clears $40 million in free agency that indicates a relatively barren market at the position. In turn, that means Jones might be able to find more money and a better chance at starting elsewhere in his age-28 season.
Minnesota may also be able to acquire a similarly talented quarterback for considerably less than whatever Jones' price tag ends up being, and letting him walk could ultimately equal a compensatory draft pick for the Vikings.
The team doesn't have much draft capital in 2025 as it is, which means a quick survey of the second-tier QBs in free agency is a quick way to compile a list of veteran backup candidates.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports on Jan. 28 predicted that Minnesota will ultimately land on Jimmy Garoppolo, who led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl following the 2019 campaign where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
"At 33, Garoppolo is older and less explosive than Sam Darnold," Benjamin wrote. "He's also likely to come much cheaper, and he played on some big stages under general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah with the San Francisco 49ers. He could be another placeholder until young J.J. McCarthy is ready."
Garoppolo has thrown for nearly 16,000 yards, 96 TDs and 52 INTs over the course of his 11-year career. He is 43-21 in the regular season as an NFL starter and 5-2 in the playoffs.
