Sam Darnold Rumors: NFL Execs Expect QB to Sign Contract in 'Baker Mayfield Range'
January 29, 2025
Despite the difficult end to the 2024 season, Sam Darnold's overall performance is likely to result in him receiving a nice contract in free agency this offseason.
Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the belief among NFL executives is Darnold will end up signing a deal in the "Baker Mayfield range" after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shelled out $100 million over three years for their quarterback last offseason.
Darnold has been riding the backup quarterback contract train for the past two years. He got a one-year deal from the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, starting one game in Week 18 when they were resting starters after clinching their playoff seeding ahead of time.
The Vikings gave Darnold a one-year, $10 million contract last offseason to serve as a bridge option after letting Kirk Cousins leave in free agency. He ended up getting the starting job in part because J.J. McCarthy's rookie season ended with a torn meniscus suffered in the preseason opener.
Darnold turned out to be one of the biggest bargain signings in the NFL. He set career-highs in passing yards (4,319), passing touchdowns (35), completion percentage (66.2) and QBR (60.5) to help the Vikings finish 14-3.
The end of the season saw Darnold revert back to being the player that made him look like a bust with the New York Jets. He finished 18-of-41 for 166 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 18 with the NFC North and No. 1 seed in the NFC at stake.
Darnold followed that up by going 25-of-40 for 245 yards with one touchdown, two turnovers and being sacked nine times in a 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card round.
There will still be questions about Darnold's long-term viability as a starter for a playoff contender because of how things ended for the Vikings in 2024, but there are enough teams that need help at quarterback to make it worth betting on him being a good option at a fairly reasonable salary for the position.
Mayfield's annual salary of $33.3 million ranks 18th among all quarterbacks. That doesn't seem out of line for Darnold based on what he showed this season.
