When the Minnesota Vikings signed Sam Darnold, many viewed him as a bridge quarterback. Kirk Cousins left, so Kevin O’Connell needed a viable starter who still had some untapped potential. Darnold has been that, and then some.
While Darnold may not be the Vikings’ quarterback of the future since that title belongs to J.J. McCarthy, no one can say the signing was a bad decision. In fact, Darnold’s contract may be one of the very best in the NFL.
Related: Kirk Cousins vs Sam Darnold – Comparing Old/New Minnesota Vikings QBs Through Week 9
When teams sought out a veteran quarterback in NFL free agency this past offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders identified Gardner Minshew III as their solution. The Raiders signed the former Colts QB to a two-year contract worth up to $25 million with $15M guaranteed. He’s since been benched twice.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings saw Sam Darnold, a former No. 3 overall pick, and felt he offered more potential. They were right. Yet, Darnold only signed a one-year, prove-it offer worth up to $10 million, with $8.75M guaranteed.
Would you rather be the Raiders, who have gotten a 2-5 record from Minshew, or the Vikings, with Darnold leading a 6-2 record? That was a rhetorical question because the answer is obvious.
Darnold has been excellent, where he ranks fourth in the NFL with a passer rating of 107.8, while having the second-highest TD rate in the league. But he also has one of the NFL’s most valuable contracts.
According to NFL analyst Ryan McGrane, who specializes in contract analytics, Darnold’s contract is the fourth-most valuable deal in the league. He’s worth $23 million more than what the Vikings are paying him, which means even if Darnold had a $33 million salary, it would still be a great signing by Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
The NFL's Most Valuable Contract is Jayden Daniels on an AAV of $9.4M, but playing at a level worth $57.1M (+$47.7M)
— Ryan McGrane (@InsAnalytics777) November 6, 2024
Top 5 most valuable contracts after Week 9:
1. Jayden Daniels +$47.7M
2. Brock Purdy +$47.1M
3. Justin Fields +$25.1M
4. Sam Darnold +$23.7M
5. Joe Flacco +$23.3M pic.twitter.com/3fJLD23h0H
But of course, the Vikings aren’t paying their quarterback a $33 million salary, and they also escaped paying Kirk Cousins an average of $45 million like he’s getting in Atlanta. In fact, according to McGrane’s model, Cousins has only been worth $30.8 million this season, which is less than Darnold’s $33M value.
In other words, the Vikings got a steal with Darnold’s contract, and KAM used the rest of the money on much-needed defensive reinforcements to help Brian Flores shine. The only downside is that Darnold is only signed for one year, but once he gets paid as a free agent again this offseason, it should help the Vikings receive a draft pick in 2026 via the compensatory pick formula that factors in additions and losses.
Related: ESPN Analytics Guy Trashes Vikings Trade for Cam Robinson