Is it a lock the Vikings keep Sam Darnold if they win the NFC?

[@PTB10195]

The episodes with Andrew are my favorite. He’s the only guest who can hold his own with Matthew when having a spirited debate.

[@Stevensnyd1]

It’s refreshing to see an intellectual debate where both people maintain respect for one another and don’t let emotion take over

[@snoworicehockey]

I feel like it’s going to be too tempting to go with a $4.9M JJ with Daniel Jones as a backup, and then build an even stronger team around the QB’s with the cap space. I think the only way Darnold stays is if he takes a very team friendly deal … or they win the Super Bowl.

[@ronrubiin4956]

I would give it a 5% he's back 95% he's playing elsewhere. We've waited for a rookie scale contract for quite a while.

[@ericferguson6468]

You let Darnold walk. If you don't feel McCarthy can take over you shouldn't have spent a top 10 draft pick.

[@julianvanlanker1686]

I'll be at the game im a vikings fan i live in oregon, so it's not too far away

[@MatthewMKF]

Hope you have fun!

[@bradmitchell2322]

Where does Darnold's stock go if they lose the next 3 games which is a distinct possibility.

[@BobHunskor-ud6ux]

Krammer is correct. Need to go with McCarthy so can improve roster.

[@jiordone8563]

Even a great roster needs a real good QB to win in the playoffs. What if McCarthy ends up being mediocre?

[@Daunte1984]

Bo Nix and Daniels are going to playoffs as rookies, so can McCarthy with this team. Also Sam may never have a season like this again , he might be mediocre. He can lose next 3 and then in playoffs, then what?

[@JSStrength]

It would be stupid to not attempt a tag and trade. He’s done well enough that a team would throw out a 2nd or more for him, and KOC can develop McCarthy to be at least similar quality

[@johndibernardo7344]

How can so many fans have such faith in a rookie QB who has only played about a HALF of football in a PRE-SEASON game against Raider subs! And if it is so automatic that KOC can duplicate the performance with any QB, either Dobbs or Mullins would still be starting.

[@snoworicehockey]

It’s not so much faith in a rookie QB, it’s faith in a great head coach and play caller that knows how to develop QB’s … and then being able to spend the cap space savings on everything around the QB to make the team successful in totality.

[@Techno_Viking_74]

I like the analysis but I’m just gonna enjoy this season and see what happens. The answers regarding much of the roster will be much more clear by then.

[@Zoyx]

Franchise Darnold, then trade him.

[@Tinkerbellprincess2]

That would be such a culture killer. KOC and KAM have the reputation of they want what's best for their players, and taking away Darnold's choice would go against all of that.

[@usa91787]

​@@Tinkerbellprincess2 No. Darnold gets it and if they sent him to LA or even Dallas he'd be thrilled. Especially LA where he gets another QB guy in McVay and the team is still decent.

[@BillDunkel-h9e]

He’s not coming back.

[@kennethkossan5547]

I see the Vikings running the table right through to the Super Bowl and winning that as well. I think Darnold is driven far beyond anything we are privy to. I don't think it's going to be that hard to beat Green Bay or Detroit or Seattle.

[@ThisIsHarderThanIThought]

i would keep darnold regardless of what he does in the play offs...franchise 1yr deal between 30 and 40mil...no way i wouldnt take my chance on mccarthy coming off of a season ending injury (give him one more year on the bench) or even daniel jones...i would stick with the guy who won you 12 out of 14...or karma will hit you like it did the vikings when they let keenum go....keenum first year went to the nfc chamionship...in 5 seasons, cousin didnt even sniff the second round.

[@usa91787]

$41 million would be the franchise tag price. But you're right. Dance with who brung ya. It would be insane to just let him walk anyway. They took the risk and developed him so they should get something out of it as well. I personally think he wants to stay. Nowhere else like this in the entire league. The Jones signing tells me that they might try the same thing with him as with Darnold so a tag and trade might be the plan.

[@snoworicehockey]

I totally agree with Andrew with regards to your Tampa Bay scenario, the solid argument would be that the team around Sam was still not good enough to win and they need to use the additional cap space savings, with moving Sam, to acquire more players in the spots they are weak, and trust KOC to put the JJ or DJ in favorable situations. Sam is a better QB now, but spending his cap hit on gaps makes a huge difference because it would add at least two more great players.

[@Alexander-lc7dx]

No. Anything short of a Super Bowl victory, you let Sam go. The plan has clearly been for KOC to build up HIS QB and get off the over priced QB carousel and continue to invest the salary cap on other positions. Trust the process and the system. KOC can clearly build up QBs with the right intangibles he’s looking for.

[@karenhardie1132]

Sam can get a bag now somewhere else. Sam will be gone. JJ was drafted to be the starter. Daniel Jones can also help.

[@vikwillwin]

These pundits keep forgetting were paying 30 million to kirk and ten to Darnold this year.Therefore keeping Sam is almost a wash next year

[@AABrawn]

That would take us from 80M expected Cap Space to possibly 40M expected cap space while still needing to sign a shit ton of defensive players.. I understand stand the cap hit in the 1st year is typically pretty low but you get what I mean.

[@usa91787]

Exactly. And next year they're $76.5 million under the cap. So they won't be broke even if they sign Darnold.

[@edwinjean1242]

Good luck thinking JJ is going to duplicate what Sam is doing right now.

[@darrick1300]

Both fair arguments, but I agree with Krammer. If you can't win with this team, you would need to push major cap into future years to get to the same talent on defense as this year. The entire secondary is a FA. Kwesi said he wants to build a yearly contender, which is hard to do if you push that much cap into future years. The question should be (after postseason) do you want to go all in with Darnold? If yes, you have a 2 or 3 year window, wasted the pick on JJ Mccarthy, and will have a cap situation waiting at the end. (Again)

[@worlddebtnow2057]

Not if they trade Mccarthy in 2026. Might get a good trade. (I'm pro tag n trade darnold). But if sam wins the bowl,ya gotta consider dealing jj.

[@m.iramiles9310]

No way a rookie takes this team to a better record. Rookies just don't.

[@Daunte1984]

Well Cunningham was 15-1, then stunk. Daunte Culpepper lead them back to NFC championship in his first year starting.

[@mrmayortheiv]

I wish i could find someone who believed in me as much as Manny and Matthew have believed in the Seahawks over the last couple of months

[@usa91787]

On Darnold, if you tell him ahead of time we're going to franchise tag and then trade you (Dallas or LA seem like a good spot for him) I think he'd be good with that. But if they win the NFC, I'd ask for a 1st minimum. 2. On the NFC - Divisionally, its going to be tough. Starting this weekend. Seattle has been a tough out for the Vikings forever. And Green Bay and Detroit are not easy games either. That said, let's say the Vikings DO win out and get the #1 spot in the playoffs. On the surface that sounds great but that means they've won 10 in a row. And to win the Super Bowl it would have to be 13 in a row. Not very likely. I'd really hate to be the team that's 0-5 in Super Bowls. I liken win streaks to a pressure cooker. The more you win in a row the more the pressure builds until it blows. So I'd be fine with a sacrifice of the #1 slot in the NFC to release a bit of that pressure if they lost this Sunday Actually, as long as it isn't a complete meltdown, the best would be to lose to Detroit in week 18 to shorten the win streak.

[@ethanabben]

I think they work out a trade with a team to ensure a good return before we tag him

[@Holidaykills]

Imagine a QB room of sam,JJ and Daniel jones. Lol.

[@paulcolon9527]

The difference with those other QBs is that they draft very well WE DONT ! So if we get some better scouts. Then maybe!

[@worlddebtnow2057]

SWEEEEEEP OUT!!!!! SKOL!!!!!

[@MINNESOTA_PTSD]

Their is nothing wrong with paying your QB. If Minn had went into 2024 with the attitude of Drake Maye or bust, and instead of drafting JJ they instead decided to draft a DT…bc NE wouldn’t budge…. Care to guess what the conversation would be right now ????? “Why haven’t they extended Sam yet??? Every day it’s only getting more expensive.” “We need to extend Sam on a team friendly deal and trade up for Jeanty.” “We sure dodged bullet by not drafting JJ this year. Out for the year?? Meanwhile Darnold is balling out!!” ☝️ now imagine someone from the future trying to tell you, so look: “You guys actually did draft McCarthy. And because you did, 90% of the fanbase is convinced JJ is the future and the only reason Darnold is having sucess is bc of KOC. And Almost nobody wants Sam back. It doesn’t matter how far he takes you in the playoffs either. The entire fanbase believes JJ and KOC are the future and that paying Sam would be a death March.” Can you imagine what it would be like being told this ???? This is how out of pocket fans and sports media alike, are about this entire situation. 1. Vikings drafted JJ 2. Vikings couldn’t win with Kirk 3. So no matter what Darnold does 4. Paying him is a huge mistake 5. Bc if Kirk didn’t work out ??? 6. Then neither will Sam (obviously) 7. + Sam is only winning bc of KOC 8. BC KOC is the QB 🤫 9. And besides ??? 10. JJ Balled out in the preseason 11. For like a quarter ….. 12. Before being ruled O-U-T 13. INDEFINITELY 14. So obviously we can’t pay Sam 💯 - Minnesota PTSD 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@cadepierson8892]

Boy would it be foolish to waste a rookie QB on contract just to sign Darnold. Stick to the plan.

[@bretttaylor3787]

Matthew making fun of billionaires is out of line. They’re a protected class!

[@SparkyFinch]

Sammy boy. How about you take another team friendly deal and we'll trafe you to the Rams when Stafford calls it quits

[@richardsmith3772]

The vikes seem to play up to their competition

[@SparkyFinch]

What is it with journalists justifying their arguments with "that matters!" Its lazy writing IMO