The Minnesota Vikings and quarterback Sam Darnold got what they needed from each other last season and then parted ways, but a reunion might happen sooner rather than later.
Darnold left Minneapolis for a nine-figure contract with the Seattle Seahawks following a Pro Bowl season that had 4,300 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and a 14-win campaign that put Minnesota in the playoffs.
Minnesota earned the stop-gap year it needed when J.J. McCarthy suffered a knee injury during his rookie season after being picked with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The Vikings were one Week-18 win over the Detroit Lions away from the NFC’s top seed, a bye week, and a home game against the Washington Commanders for the opportunity to play in the conference championship.
That scenario for the Vikings may have turned out as terribly as it did for the Lions, but no one will ever know how Minnesota would have performed given a week off to plan for Washington and get well and rested.
The point is that with Darnold at quarterback, the squad was extremely competitive and not far from achieving its ultimate aim. Minnesota is hoping to recreate last year’s success with McCarthy at quarterback, but there are a lot of unknowns because he has never played a regular-season action in the NFL.
According to a parallel report from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Darnold will have one year to prove himself in Seattle, while the Vikings will give McCarthy one year before potentially chasing a veteran to challenge for the starting job in 2026.
Sam Darnold May Have Just 1 Year to Prove Himself With Seahawks
Florio described Darnold’s scenario with the Seahawks, which is ostensibly a three-year contract but acts more like a one-year tryout with a high-potential rookie following Darnold around the entire time.
“[Darnold] has a one-year deal. “And the Seahawks appear to really like rookie Jalen Milroe,” Florio noted on Saturday, July 5. “Darnold will need to play very well to secure his status for 2026.”
Darnold’s $100.5 million contract has only $55 million guaranteed, which comprises a $37.5 million signing bonus, a $5.3 million basic salary in 2025, and a $200,000 workout incentive. In essence, Seattle is paying him $43 million for the upcoming season and may terminate his contract next spring, owing the quarterback only $12 million.
Milroe has probably the biggest arm and the best mobility of any quarterback in the 2025 class, and Seattle’s interest in him prompted the Seahawks to trade Sam Howell to the Vikings for a fifth-round pick in April. Howell, who is 5-13 as a starter with 22 touchdowns and 23 interceptions, will enter Vikings training camp later this month as McCarthy’s backup.
Vikings Could Look to Sam Darnold as Alternative Option if J.J. McCarthy Struggles, Gets Injured in 2025
The Vikings let Darnold walk, made a low-ball offer to Daniel Jones, who signed with the Indianapolis Colts, passed on Aaron Rodgers, and look content to stick with Howell at QB2 if he performs well in training camp.
If Howell fails, Minnesota might look for a veteran as early as next month, but it will have few possibilities. The best option would be a reunion with former starting Kirk Cousins via a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, however this would require the Vikings to take up about $10 million of his 2025 contract and may cost Minnesota a Day-3 selection pick in 2026.
However, McCarthy’s play on a rookie-scale salary for the next three years is Minnesota’s strategy for producing legitimate title contenders within that time frame. However, Florio indicated that if McCarthy suffers in 2025, he will likely face much greater preseason competition in 2026. The same is likely to happen if McCarthy suffers another severe injury setback during his second professional season.
“He’s getting a chance to play after a knee injury ended his rookie season,” Florio wrote Saturday. “Anything less than a complete calamity will ensure his status in 2026. At worst, he’d have to battle against a more experienced veteran next year.”
If Darnold is released by Seattle after this season in favor of Milroe, and the Vikings do not believe they have a star and/or a viable starter in McCarthy who can stay healthy, a reunion between Darnold and Minnesota could be in the works, given Darnold’s success in Kevin O’Connell’s system.
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