The Minnesota Vikings are facing uncertainty in the offseason after losing quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons and signing Sam Darnold to a one-year deal as his replacement. Darnold, who served as the backup to Brock Purdy with the San Francisco 49ers last season, joins the Vikings with questions surrounding his role in the team.
According to a report from ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, via Dov Kleiman, there’s speculation that Darnold could potentially start for the Vikings this season, with the team looking to the 2025 draft to secure their next franchise quarterback.
However, this report might be viewed as a smokescreen by some. The Vikings currently hold the 11th and 23rd picks in the first round of the upcoming draft and have been linked to various trade rumors, indicating their interest in trading up for a quarterback. With a deep quarterback class in 2024, including prospects like UNC’s Drake Maye, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings may see this draft as an opportunity to secure their long-term solution at the quarterback position. This strategy could be aimed at protecting their assets and maintaining leverage in any potential trade discussions, especially considering their possession of two first-round picks.
