Did Vikings place franchise tag on Sam Darnold? Latest on QB's future in Minnesota

Sam Darnold's future with the Minnesota Vikings has drawn interest from NFL fans. The quarterback is on course to enter free agency this offseason, but the Vikings are expected to re-sign him.

According to reports, Minnesota is not planning to use the franchise tag on Darnold for the 2025 season. However, the Vikings are yet to announce which player gets placed on the franchise tag. The franchise tag deadline is 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Per reports, if the Vikings wanted to use the franchise tag on Darnold it would have cost them $40.2 million, which is a high number considering they paid the quarterback $10 million in 2024. So, Minnesota is likely to re-sign Darnold on a cost-effective deal.

The Vikings signed Darnold from free agency in the 2024 offseason. He was named as Minnesota's starting QB after the team announced that its first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy was ruled out for his rookie season with a torn meniscus.

Now, the value and length of contract that Darnold could receive from the Vikings remains to be seen.

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How did Sam Darnold fare in the 2024 NFL season?

Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold - Source: Getty

Sam Darnold enjoyed a fabulous start to his Vikings career in 2024. The quarterback completed 361 of 545 passes for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns with 12 interceptions in the regular season. He also added 212 yards and one touchdown on 67 carries across 17 games leading Minnesota to a No. 2 finish in the NFC North with a 14-3 record.

The Vikings made it to the playoffs, but Darnold struggled to carry forward his craft into the postseason. He completed 25 of 40 passes for 245 yards with one touchdown and one interception as Minnesota lost 27-9 to the LA Rams in the wild-card round.

Nonetheless, the Vikings are still keen to keep a hold of Darnold in the 2025 season, as they aim to groom McCarthy and allow the young star to transition into the team's QB1.