Vikings likely Sam Darnold plan gives them final say about his landing spot

The Minnesota Vikings have one final way to protect themselves from making a drastic decision at quarterback. Instead of signing Sam Darnold to a standard contract or franchise tagging him, they could use the transition tag. 

This would allow them to keep from outbidding themselves, see what someone else is willing to offer him and therefore let them make the final decision on if they want to bring him back long term or not. It’s the best solution for both sides. 

And according to a Washington Post story by Jason La Canfora, it seems like the most logical move for the Vikings. They have already walked Darnold to the door as Kevin O’Connell seems keen on giving his 2024 first round pick, J.J. McCarthy the keys to the offense. 

But he’s also not stupid, he knows the risk that entails. McCarthy is coming off injury and hasn’t played an NFL snap yet. The Vikings still want to contend and after going 14-3 last season, despite a first-round playoff loss, they aren’t just going to kick Darnold to the curb. 

The transition tag will give Minnesota Vikings the ultimate leverage with Sam Darnold

What’s ideal about the transition tag option is that they don’t have to make the first offer. And if no other team offers Darnold, he essentially plays on another one-year deal. This would give McCarthy another year of rehab before most likely taking over. 

Vikings star wide receiver, Justin Jefferson, already said he doesn’t want the team to make any drastic changes this offseason. So if he’s keen on playing with Darnold again, why not run it back? 

The worst that happens is he regresses, but that was the same risk with a new quarterback. At best, they contend for the division and possibly go on a playoff run. To be fair, this was Darnold’s first year ever in the NFL playoffs. 

Things weren’t great to end the season for Darnold, but don’t let that overshadow the season he had. The Vikings aren’t just going to throw that away for the potential that McCarthy is the answer. 

Not when they have reasonable options other than letting him walk free. The transition tag will allow them to exhaust all their options before deciding if they are truly ready to move on from him. The quarterback position is the most important on the field. The Vikings are better off going with the devil they know.