It’s only five games but Sam Darnold has become one of the best storylines in the NFL this season. After failed stints as a starter with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, Darnold has led the Minnesota Vikings to a 5-0 record and his early performance could help him land a massive contract.
Spotrac has included Darnold in their most recent free agency forecasts, and they believe the 26-year-old could sign a four-year contract worth $126.8 million (an average value of $31.7 million) when he becomes a free agent next March.
Enjoy 3 months for 99¢! SAVE NOW SPORTS Vikings QB Sam Darnold is already lined up for a massive contract next spring BY CHRIS SCHAD ATHLON SPORTS UPDATED OCTOBER 13, 2024 11:43 AM It’s only five games but Sam Darnold has become one of the best storylines in the NFL this season. After failed stints as a starter with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, Darnold has led the Minnesota Vikings to a 5-0 record and his early performance could help him land a massive contract. Spotrac has included Darnold in their latest free agent projections and believes the 26-year-old could land a four-year contract worth $126.8 million – an average value of $31.7 million – when he becomes a free agent next March. Follow us on Facebook Related: 3 concerns for the Vikings heading into the bye week Over the Cap also believes Darnold is in line to get paid next year, placing his 2024 valuation at $27.5 million. It’s proof that life comes at you fast as a quarterback in the NFL. It wasn’t long ago that Darnold was one of the biggest busts in NFL history after he was selected with the third overall pick in the 2018 draft. After failing to live up to the expectations thanks to poor infrastructures with the Jets and Panthers, Darnold spent the 2023 season as Brock Purdy’s backup with the San Francisco 49ers and many were surprised when the Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year, $10 million contract hours after Kirk Cousins agreed to sign with the Atlanta Falcons last March.
But Darnold has proved his detractors wrong through the first five games, completing a career-high 63.5% of his passes for 1,111 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. While it is a small sample size, Darnold’s projected contract shows how far teams will go to solve the quarterback position. Cousins was projected for a contract of around $30 million per year last season but the Falcons signed him to a four-year, $180 million contract despite his age (36) and the fact he was coming off a torn Achilles.