It's official: the Minnesota Vikings will have a new starting quarterback in 2025, the third straight season with a different guy under center.
That is because Sam Darnold, 2024 starter and feel-good story of the NFL this past season, is signing a three-year contract to become a Seattle Seahawk. Darnold will be replacing Geno Smith who is off to the Las Vegas Raiders as the NFL plays musical QB chairs at the start of the free agent signing period.
According to several reports, the terms of the deal are for three years, $110 million with $55 million guaranteed. NFL.com reports the deal is closer to $100 million.
Either way, it's an amount that was probably too steep for the Vikings to consider as they enter a new era with rookie J.J. McCarthy now.
The team's 2024 rookie will likely be the presumed starter unless the Vikings make a free-agent move of their own. McCarthy is coming off of knee surgery and has yet to play a regular season game, so a veteran stopgap - what the team thought Darnold would be last season - may be necessary.
The team added former Giant Daniel Jones after he was released in New York last year. But Jones, who struggled mightily after being a high draft pick and leading the Giants to a playoff win over the Vikings in January, 2023, is also a free agent.
Darnold made $10 million while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 regular-season finish in 2024. He had never played close to as well as he did under Viking coach Kevin O'Connell last season but he struggled in a must-win regular season final in Detroit, and in a 27-9 blowout loss to the Rams in the Wild Card round.
But that 14-win season and improvement in play has given Darnold a big payday, and a chance to start in Seattle.
Other free agent news
- More offensive line help coming according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero who says the team is adding former Colts guard Will Fries who Pelissero notes is "another big addition." Fries is one of the top interior lineman on the market. The deal is for five years and $88 million according to ESPN.
- This is a huge get for Minnesota. The Vikings have added 30-year-old Jonathan Allen who has played his entire career in Washington and is a two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle. The Commanders cut him after trying and failing to trade him. According to multiple reports, the defensive tackle will sign a three-year, $60 million contract. He was hurt for the bulk of 2024 but is a major impact player when healthy in a spot of need for Minnesota.
- Another Pro Bowl player is coming back to the Vikings. They signed cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. to a three-year, $66 million deal which makes him one of the league's top-paid CB's.
- Another spot of need for the Vikings is offensive line and it just got a boost after the signing of center Ryan Kelly who is four-time Pro Bowler. After spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Colts, Kelly has to terms on a two-year, $18 million deal with the Vikings that includes $9 million guaranteed. Kelly has had trouble staying healthy over the past two years, missing a total of 10 games since the start of the 2023 season, but when he's healthy he's been one of the league's best centers.
- Former Vikings safety Cam Bynum is now the seventh-highest paid safety in the NFL after landing a huge contract from the Colts. The 26-year-old has agreed to terms on a four-year, $60 million deal with Indy, according to NFL Media.
- Minnesota has agreed to terms on two-year $15 million deal with Isaiah Rodgers. The 27-year-old saw played in 15 games last season for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
- The Vikings are also keeping Aaron Jones. The former Pro Bowl RB has agreed to a two-year, $20 million extension to remain in Minnesota. That includes $13 million guaranteed, according to ESPN. Jones ran for a career-high 1,138 yards last year in addition to catching 51 passes for 408 yards.