Being a die hard Minnesota fan Just curious about what you think of Darnold now versus going into the season when he signed as a free agent?
The same?
Impressed?
Disappointing?
Don’t care?
And would you go with JJ or resign Sam?
Thanks in advance!
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2 Comments
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I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. The way he played in those last two games is a real concern. I wasn't expecting a win against Detroit, but I wasn't expecting a blowout, especially against a Detroit defense that was really undermanned. Darnold missed...A LOT. It wasn't all his fault, but so much of it was.
And because of the Detroit blowout, I don't think he -- or the team -- were emotionally ready for the playoffs. The Rams were probably better, but not by that much.
So, I think re-signing him is a real tricky proposition for the Vikings.
That said, I don't think Darnold is so irrepairably damaged that he can't rebound from this. This was his first playoff experience, he's still relatively young, he does have talent. And if the Vikings can acquire a couple of interior linemen and a CB and a safety, they could be good again. Darnold knows the offense, he knows the receivers (no receiving group in the NFL is better), and he can improve and build off of this experience.
Lastly, J.J. is NOT a known entity, regardless of what people say. He has never played a single down in the NFL, and it's not like he has to start tomorrow. He really doesn't.
As for resigning Darnold, I really don't know very much about how it works, i.e. what the rules are about franchising a QB, if the pay is consistent across the board, etc. I just don't really follow the off-season closely enough to understand the rules, trends, etc. WRT player acquistion. I thought it would be about $40 or $50 million.
So, that said, I guess it all comes down to Sam Darnold and what he wants to do. If he has the opportunity to go to a contender, like Pittsburgh, for a shitload of money, he certainly can. If the Vikings still have faith in him and are willing to pay him the franchise money, and he's willing to take that kind of money (look, it's more than he earned last season, by a whole lot) and battle it out with J.J. in the fall for the starting job, I say let him decide.
Either way, I don't think the Vikings are up against it. Offer to franchise Sam, and if he walks away, he walks away and the Vikings take their chances with J.J. and try to sign some other backup. The Vikings can't afford to pay him the $160 million (reported) that some other team like Pittsburgh might, and they shouldn't entertain the thought.