Is Franchise Tag an option for Darnold?

[pattersaur]

To me the strongest piece of evidence that the Vikings intend to let Darnold hit the market is the signing of Jones. I still think it has to play out a little bit, but Jones does not fit on this team at all with both Darnold and McCarthy.

Ehh, aren't we paying Jones like $400K? And then he's a FA. I'm sure they're getting a good look at him and they also think he might be a better option than Mullens, but I personally am not reading much into 2025 based on Daniel Jones.

[MaroonBells]

Ehh, aren't we paying Jones like $400K? And then he's a FA. I'm sure they're getting a good look at him and they also think he might be a better option than Mullens, but I personally am not reading much into 2025 based on Daniel Jones.

It's not about the money. Unless the Vikings signed him just for the comp pick, which I doubt, I don't see a way that all three of Darnold, McCarthy and Jones are on this roster in 2025.

[purplefaithful]

It's not about the money. Unless the Vikings signed him just for the comp pick, which I doubt, I don't see a way that all three of Darnold, McCarthy and Jones are on this roster in 2025.

No, there is no way all 3 are on the roster for 25. 

I posted elsewhere, Dimes could end up the reason they dont tag Darnold. 

Lots to play out still and 4 crazy weeks ahead of us. Thats damn near 1/4 of the season still to go.

[JimmyinSD]

keep hearing about the speculation on compensatory picks from Darnold and Jones, with the amount of money we have to spend, and the holes and weaknesses we have to address, I have a hard time believing that we are going to be in line for any comp picks. if they hope to get anything from SD, IMO they are going to need to sign him and then trade him ( or tag and trade as the story calls for ) personally I think they could likely find some sort of deal that SD would be open to, much more so than Jones agreeing to sign here on the cheap as the potential back up for JJM IMO.

[pattersaur]

keep hearing about the speculation on compensatory picks from Darnold and Jones, with the amount of money we have to spend,  and the holes and weaknesses we have to address,  I have a hard time believing that we are going to be in line for any comp picks.  if they hope to get anything from SD, IMO they are going to need to sign him and then trade him ( or tag and trade as the story calls for ) personally I think they could likely find some sort of deal that SD would be open to,  much more so than Jones agreeing to sign here on the cheap as the potential back up for JJM IMO.

I agree with you. Of course the Vikings aren't going to sign and trade him to the Jets. Darnold would still be picking his destination, the Vikings franchise would just get to wet our beaks a little on the deal. Doesn't happen much in the NFL but it does in the NBA quite a bit. If the Vikings do decide to move on from Sam-- which I'm not sure they will-- I hope they can get some return, even if it's small relative to the value of a young athletic starting QB coming off a career year.

[savannahskol]

Why don’t more see this obvious?
Great take. (Bullazin post end of page1)
Use some cap to extend Sam. He’s earned it, either as latent talent realized, or KOC wizardry.
So we gave a fair amount of draft capital for McCarthy. So what? That’s over.
Huge mistake to tag-trade Sam, imo.

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/minnesota-v...nnell-2025

[MAD GAINZ]

keep hearing about the speculation on compensatory picks from Darnold and Jones, with the amount of money we have to spend,  and the holes and weaknesses we have to address,  I have a hard time believing that we are going to be in line for any comp picks.  if they hope to get anything from SD, IMO they are going to need to sign him and then trade him ( or tag and trade as the story calls for ) personally I think they could likely find some sort of deal that SD would be open to,  much more so than Jones agreeing to sign here on the cheap as the potential back up for JJM IMO.

We have more than a couple guys who are in line for bigger, qualifying contracts that could net us compensatory picks.  

Obvious one is Darnold if a team signs him to a couple year deal for big money.  Then you have Byron Murphy who will get a big deal if we aren't able to keep him here.  Cam Bynum will get top safety money on the market if we can't re-sign him.  Daniel Jones would be eligible and maybe he doesn't stick around, maybe he does?  

I agree, we likely won't get a comp pick for all these guys since we'll be signing some guys in FA...  but our odds of getting at least one increase by having more guys that are talented enough to garner a comp pick if they leave for another team.

[MaroonBells]

We have more than a couple guys who are in line for bigger, qualifying contracts that could net us compensatory picks.  

Obvious one is Darnold if a team signs him to a couple year deal for big money.  Then you have Byron Murphy who will get a big deal if we aren't able to keep him here.  Cam Bynum will get top safety money on the market if we can't re-sign him.  Daniel Jones would be eligible and maybe he doesn't stick around, maybe he does?  

I agree, we likely won't get a comp pick for all these guys since we'll be signing some guys in FA...  but our odds of getting at least one increase by having more guys that are talented enough to garner a comp pick if they leave for another team.

I don't think the Vikings are going to sign a bunch of free agents, but I do see them signing a couple expensive ones. To get a comp pick, the Vikings simply have to sign fewer free agents than they lost. And they're going to lose a lot. In addition to the players you mention, they have a shit-ton of players on 1-year contracts. I don't see them re-signing many of them. 

Vikings also get a comp pick if Flores gets a head coaching job.

[StickierBuns]

I don't think the Vikings are going to sign a bunch of free agents, but I do see them signing a couple expensive ones. To get a comp pick, the Vikings simply have to sign fewer free agents than they lost. And they're going to lose a lot. In addition to the players you mention, they have a shit-ton of players on 1-year contracts. I don't see them re-signing many of them. 

Vikings also get a comp pick if Flores gets a head coaching job.

The Vikings are also going to resign/extend some of their own, so that cap space is going to shrink fast this offseason. As you mention and I agree, maybe 2 big FA acquisitions will happen, probably in the OG/CB/Safety realm. Breaking the bank for Murphy would be a bad move, IMO. This is why Minnesota won't be paying Darnold $45+ million per to retain him.

[MaroonBells]

Now that I look into it, the Vikings might even get the maximum allotment of four comp picks. These are all the players on the Vikings who are not under contract in 2025 (and my opinion on how likely they are to be re-signed by the Vikings). 

Sam Darnold - unlikely
Cam Robinson - unlikely
Cam Bynum - likely
Byron Murphy - likely
Daniel Jones - iffy
Stephen Gilmore - unlikely
Aaron Jones - unlikely
Pat Jones - unlikely
Shaq Griffin - unlikely
Nick Mullens - unlikely
Jerry Tillery - unlikely
Dalton Risner - iffy
Jonathan Bullard - unlikely
Jalen Redmond - likely

....and a whole bunch of role players that likely won't factor into the comp formula, like Powell, Mundt, Akers, Moreau, etc