What do you do in the offseason if you are the Vikings?
 

Sam Darnold has completely turned his career around in Minnesota. Yes, the Vikings have one of the best receiving corps and a good TE. But it's not like you could just plug in any QB and it will be great.

Sam Darnold signed a 1 year deal worth $10m is what google says. So he will be a free agent.

Should they use the franchise tag on him and try to trade him for a 1st? Or sign him to a contract and make him their starter since he played so well?

What to do with JJ McCarthy, if they go with Sam Darnold, since they drafted him so high? Sam Darnold wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for that injury.

It's a somewhat unusual situation and it's a Chiefs-less weekend so if you are the GM of the Vikings, what do you do?

I guess this becomes more of a question depending how their playoff run goes.

But he wouldn't be the first QB drafted by the Jets that was deemed a bust and did better somewhere else. Hard to count his time with the Panthers too, that team has been trash.

There's no way they can walk on Darnold.

The first and third options are really the same thing.

I think if I were MIN-GM I'd sign him to a 3 yr deal, very similar to the one Baker signed earlier this year (or the same deal Geno got two years ago) with the ability to get out of it early. That way I could ride the Darnold train while it lasted, and if the wheels came off next season, I could step away without killing my cap.

But I don't think I could just trade him in favor of an untried/unproven rookie QB after the season Darnold's had this year.

I think you've got to try to talk Darnold into an extremely reasonable contract and trade McCarthy for a 1st round pick.

Ultimately though the playoffs will decide their future. Going to depend how he performs in the playoffs.

I’d probably try to trade JJ and offer Sam a deal similar to Bakers.

Darnold or Die

Why trade McCarthy?

Just keep him, a la GB.

You sign him long term in my opinion unless you are sure that McCarthy is the future. Let’s not forget that Darnold was a very high pick who went to the tire fire that is the NYJ. Despite them doing everything in their power to ruin him he found an organization that can actually develop him and set him up for success.

Darnold is 27 years old. Not 37 years old like Aaron Rodgers was when they drafted Love.

Is Darnold your guy or not? If so, pay him, trade JJ and use the 1st rounder to build around Darnold. A stud 1st round running back would look pretty damn good with Jefferson, Addison and Hockenson.

Let’s see how he does in the playoffs first but if he shits his pants I would tag and trade. Go see if there is a stupid team out there willing to give up draft picks and give him $40-50 million/yr contract.

Trade their 2025 first round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for Skyy Moore.

This is a good plan if you can make it happen. I think you tag him first just to get into a good spot for negotiating. Three years would be great.

The "let him play on the tag" thing for QBs seems like it usually ends with losing to free agency or signing a mega-deal. I don't really believe in McCarthy so I wouldn't be willing to do this.

Belize