The Minnesota Vikings raised some eyebrows when they elected to replace Kirk Cousins at quarterback by signing veteran Sam Darnold to a one-year deal, and he will now serve as the bridge quarterback to rookie No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy.
This could be Darnold’s last shot to prove he can be a starter in the NFL, and one insider has a strong belief that he’ll be able to do it.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler thinks the Vikings will “get their money’s worth of Darnold” and added, “They can develop J.J. McCarthy behind the scenes, and incrementally give him more and more in a high-volume passing attack.”
From @JFowlerESPN, he think the #Vikings will “get their money’s worth (10M) of Darnold.”
“So they can develop JJ McCarthy behind the scenes, incrementally give him more and more in a high volume passing attack. (JJ) Will be the long term starter”
Is a career year for Darnold… pic.twitter.com/oYSARSkN27
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) June 29, 2024
The Vikings gave Darnold a $10 million deal for this season, and at 27 years old and after a year of backing up Brock Purdy with the San Francisco 49ers, Darnold now finds himself with his fourth team and his third and perhaps final chance to prove he can be a successful starting QB.
Everything Baker Mayfield did last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be what Darnold is trying to emulate, as his fellow 2018 draftmate and Carolina Panthers teammate found himself in a similar situation last year before blowing up and leading the Bucs to an NFC South crown and a playoff win, which he parlayed into a multi-year contract extension.
Mayfield and Darnold both started for the Panthers in 2022 and wound up benched.
The Bucs were Mayfield’s fourth team and his third chance to be a full-time starter, and he shined when given the opportunity.
Let’s see if Darnold can do the same in Minnesota.
NEXT:
Stats Show J.J. McCarthy’s Incredible Record In Career
