Breaking: Minnesota Vikings are inching away to secure the signing of an undoubted player for incredible fees...

Throughout the summer, the Minnesota Vikings made a number of contentious roster additions and deletions.

On Thursday, July 11, Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus looked over each NFC team’s finest

offseason acquisitions, determining that the Vikings would be better served by adding a quarterback.

Sikkema stated, “The Vikings made some big splashes by drafting Dallas Turner and J.J. McCarthy and

by re-signing Justin Jefferson, but the addition of Sam Darnold is the one that could have a big payout.”

“Although Darnold won’t be the team’s quarterback, the Vikings’ decision to sign him through 2024

allows them to delay putting McCarthy in the field while the team is still competitive. For the tolerance

and adaptability he grants Minnesota It was worth the $10 million this year to have Darnold with

McCarthy.

Vikings Made Bet on Sam Darnold Over Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield

Kirk Cousins was a free agent who the Minnesota Vikings declined to sign, or at least refused to give him

the $180 million over four years ($100 million guaranteed) that the Atlanta Falcons offered to entice

him away.

There were reasonable concerns about Jefferson’s reaction to that development, considering that he

supported Cousins and advocated for trying to win every game in every season over his four-year tenure.

But when Minnesota signed their star wide receiver to the highest annual contract ever offered to a non-

quarterback in league history—$35 million each season over four years—those doubts were dispelled.

Of all the players the Vikings might have, Darnold might give them the best opportunity to win.

In the 2018 NFL Draft, the New York Jets selected Darnold with the third overall choice; the Cleveland

Browns selected Mayfield with the first overall pick in the same year. After their different stints with

their original teams ended abruptly, each player wound up with the Carolina Panthers, where they would

overlap in 2022.

The following season, Mayfield moved to Tampa, where he helped the Bucs defeat the Philadelphia

Eagles in the playoffs and win the NFC South Division. In the meanwhile, Darnold signed a contract with

the San Francisco 49ers to serve as Brock Purdy’s backup. For the NFC winners in 2023, he appeared in

ten games but only started one. Nevertheless, he finished the season 28 of 46 throwing for 297 yards,

two touchdowns, and one interception.

It’s highly likely that McCarthy, who the Vikings selected with the No. 10 overall choice in this year’s

draft, will use Darnold as a one-year bridge.

While Minnesota has stated that it will not force the defending National Champion and former Michigan

quarterback, McCarthy, into a starting position in his first season, the team has also said that McCarthy

will be given the opportunity to start after he meets all of its predetermined goals.

Meanwhile, in his limited role with the 49ers last season, Darnold demonstrated the arm strength that

earned him a top-three draft pick six years prior. Even though he is only 27 years old, he will be playing

with a roster that is more talented than any other team outside of San Francisco.