The Tag and Trade

[hogjowlsjohnny]

Yes it would. Not nearly as much as some think though. Look, you know I love playing devil's advocate, sometimes offering a position I don't necessarily support just to play around with scenarios. 

Think about it this way. The Vikings have $63M in cap space. Take $41M out and you have $22M left. And that's before releasing or restructuring anyone. For the sake of comparison, the Vikings added their best free agent class in history last year and started with $16.9M in cap space.

Releasing Asamoah, Bradbury, and Ingram adds $10M. So $32M total now. Restructure candidates include Brian O'Neill, TJ Hockenson and Jonathan Greenard. It's been said that there is up to $28M in potential savings there. It's doubtful we restructure all of it, so let's just say $20M. So, the Vikings, if they wanted to, could pay Darnold his tag hit AND have nearly three times the cap space they had entering free agency last year.

Let's just say, devils advocate aside, I'm glad you aren't the GM. 
Your plan would likely relegate the Vikings to perpetual mediocracy. Would you really be content to kick the can down the road further for Darnold? Vikings fans have lived the world of roster deficits because of over spending on a flawed QB for quite awhile.
Their plan is to repair the roster deficits by having a QB on a rookie contract. They would be fools not to. It may or may not work, but is clearly the path to building a team capable of hoisting a Lombardi.
But then I know you are just playing devils advocate!

[JustInTime]

[StickierBuns]

Yes it would. Not nearly as much as some think though. Look, you know I love playing devil's advocate, sometimes offering a position I don't necessarily support just to play around with scenarios. 

Think about it this way. The Vikings have $63M in cap space. Take $41M out and you have $22M left. And that's before releasing or restructuring anyone. For the sake of comparison, the Vikings added their best free agent class in history last year and started with $16.9M in cap space.

Releasing Asamoah, Bradbury, and Ingram adds $10M. So $32M total now. Restructure candidates include Brian O'Neill, TJ Hockenson and Jonathan Greenard. It's been said that there is up to $28M in potential savings there. It's doubtful we restructure all of it, so let's just say $20M. So, the Vikings, if they wanted to, could pay Darnold his tag hit AND have nearly three times the cap space they had entering free agency last year.

Oh boy. All to keep Darnold? The 'Devil' needs to put down the Uncle Sammy Kool Aid.