Sam Darnold takes J.J. McCarthy off the trade market with brutal Wild Card showing vs Rams

The Minnesota Vikings signed veteran journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold to serve as a stopgap quarterback while they developed rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Darnold was left as Minnesota’s only viable option after McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason, and he proved to be more than the Vikings could have ever hoped for. Alongside defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ aggressive, turnover-producing defense, Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record and nearly clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

The Vikings’ success with Darnold in a conundrum. Minnesota only signed the veteran to a one-year contract, but moving on from him after a 14-win season would be difficult. McCarthy has always been in the Vikings’ long-term plan, but he remains an unknown commodity. If he struggles in 2025, the team could regret moving on from Darnold in free agency. 

Sam Darnold's collapse will hurt his free agency market

The Vikings’ success led some fans to believe the team should keep the Darnold as the starter next season, but Darnold quickly silenced any argument for trading McCarthy in the first half of the Vikings’ wild-card matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

Minnesota saved their worst six quarters for the biggest games of the season. One week after floundering against the Detroit Lions, Darnold’s slow start against the Rams sunk Minnesota into a 24-3 deficit at halftime.

Darnold looked shell-shocked early in the game, often holding onto the ball one second longer than the amount of time his offensive line could protect him. He took a sack on the first offensive possession, which led to a three-and-out. Another sack caused the Vikings to punt on their third possession, but a roughing the kicker penalty gifted them a first down to extend the drive. Three plays later, Darnold threw an interception. Darnold was strip-sacked on the fourth drive, and Rams rookie Jared Verse returned the fumble for a 57-yard touchdown. The Vikings’ fifth and final drive of the first half ended with an 11-yard sack on a fourth-and-2.

Trading McCarthy was never a realistic option. If Minnesota kept Darnold, they would also hold onto McCarthy. The Los Angeles Chargers were in a similar situation with quarterbacks Drew Brees and Philip Rivers nearly 20 years ago. 

At the very least, Darnold has significantly harmed the value of his next contract in free agency, which may ultimately help the Vikings bring him back alongside McCarthy in 2025.