After soaking up a run to the Super Bowl with the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers last season, Sam Darnold is reportedly heading to the Minnesota Vikings with the chance to regain a starting quarterback role in the NFL once again.
The San Clemente High graduate is expected to sign a one-year, $10 million contract with $8.75 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero on Monday, March 11.
Minnesota was without a starting quarterback after Kirk Cousins agreed to a four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Cousins was also coming off surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. After Cousins went down eight games into last season, the Vikings employed three different journeymen quarterbacks–Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall–who combined for a 3-6 record down the stretch.
Darnold now gets the opportunity to compete for a starting quarterback position after fighting his way to the No. 2 spot in San Francisco behind Brock Purdy and ahead of the since-traded Trey Lance.
Darnold attempted at least one pass in five games for the 49ers last season, including a 16-for-26, 189-yard performance in a season finale start against the Los Angeles Rams and a 8-for-14, 81-yard performance in mop-up duty against the Baltimore Ravens. Darnold threw a touchdown in both games of extended action with one interception.
Darnold was drafted No. 3 overall in 2018 by the New York Jets and started 38 games over three seasons with a 13-25 record. Darnold completed 59.8% of his passes in New York for 8,097 yards, 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions.
The Capistrano Beach native was then traded to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2021 season and started 17 games over two seasons with a 8-9 record. Darnold completed 59.5% of his passes in Carolina for 3,670 yards, 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.