After losing Kirk Cousins to the Falcons, the Vikings have quickly pivoted to add a different veteran quarterback.
Minnesota has agreed to sign Sam Darnold to a one-year deal worth $10 million, according to a report from NFL Media.
The No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft, Darnold spent the 2023 season as San Francisco’s backup quarterback. He appeared in 10 games but started just one — the 49ers’ Week 18 game against the Rams after S.F. had locked up the NFC’s No. 1 seed. He completed 16-of-26 passes for 189 yards with a touchdown in that game, also rushing for 19 yards with a TD.
Darnold, 26, played his first three seasons with the Jets before they traded him to the Panthers during the 2021 offseason. He was 4-7 as a starter in 2021 but 4-2 with Carolina in 2022.
Overall, Darnold has compiled a 21-35 record as a starter. He’s completed 59.7 percent of his career passes for 12,064 yards with 63 touchdowns and 56 interceptions. He’s also fumbled 38 times, losing 14 of them.
Now Darnold should at least get a chance to start for Minnesota in 2024 with an offensive scheme that’s derived from the same coaching tree. Darnold’s former Jets teammate Josh McCown is also now Minnesota’s quarterbacks’ coach for an extra layer of familiarity.
