Kevin O'Connell gets brutally honest on Sam Darnold future after Vikings pass on franchise tagging QB - "It can't always work out"

Sam Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in last year's free agency. He went on to have the best season of his career and was in a position to get a lucrative deal this offseason.

However, Darnold's free agency market took a big hit after he finished the season with two poor performances. The Vikings were sent home in the Wild Card round with major questions about the 27-year-old quarterback's future with the team.

The Vikings decided not to use the franchise tag on Darnold, and he's expected to be pursued by multiple teams in free agency.

In a conversation on Fitz & Whit with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Whitworth, Kevin O'Connell discussed Darnold's future. The Vikings coach was asked about whether the franchise has an amount in mind related to Darnold, considering they also have J.J. McCarthy waiting for his opportunity.

"That's probably the hardest part of this job," O'Connell said. "The facts are, there's no way to avoid the business side of the NFL. We're hoping that there's positives that come out of that. And it's sometimes it's a situation where this time of year, it can't always work out that you keep the same team every single year. I've used that phrase before, and it wasn't just with Sam [Darnold]. It was with Kirk [Cousins] as well. He's earned the right to be a free agent.

"There are so many layers to it, as you guys know," O'Connell added. "How one move might affect another position, how Sam's decision might be about some things that are important to him and vice versa with the organization."

Darnold could potentially get a three-year, $140-150 million deal in free agency. It will not be ideal for the Vikings to match that price, as they drafted McCarthy with the 10th overall pick last year.

Minnesota has a pretty good roster, and since O'Connell has worked wonders with almost every quarterback, he could bring the best out of McCarthy.

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Potential landing spots for Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold: NFL Pro Bowl Games: Skills Showdown - Source: Getty

In 17 games last season, Darnold threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, completing 66.2% of his throws with a passer rating of 102.5.

Despite Darnold's success, the Vikings could potentially get outbid by other teams in the free agency. Here are two teams that could make a move for the Stanford product in free agency:

1. Las Vegas Raiders: The Raiders have the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and could potentially draft Shedeur Sanders. However, the AFC West team could pass on the Colorado star, which would likely result in them pursuing a quarterback in free agency.

Per Sportac, the Raiders have $93.26 million in cap space and could easily afford Darnold if they like him. Aaron Rodgers is another option for Las Vegas, so it will be fascinating to see what they do next.

2. Indianapolis Colts: The Colts are another team that could jump in the free agency to add a quarterback. Anthony Richardson has failed to prove that he is ready to lead the franchise, and the team's front office, which is under immense pressure, could bring a veteran quarterback.

They have only $28.5 million in cap space but could make moves to free up funds to sign Darnold on a two or three-year deal. He will be an ideal option for them, with Shane Steichen coaching him while Richardson continues to develop as the backup.