Pelissero: Most Logical is Darnold Staying in Minn

I think a tag and trade kind of requires all parties to end up happy, or at least partially happy. Whatever team would trade for him is going to need a semi-long term contract to make it make sense. No one is trading much to the Vikings for one year $35M Darnold. Darnold isn't signing with a team he hates. Vikings have to get enough trade value, although of the 3 of them, I think the Vikings care least how much they get, although it has to be at least a 3rd.

I think the only way it really happens is if the Vikings let Darnold go out and find another team, and they probably have to be willing to have him come back under the tag if it all doesn't work out.

Darnold holding onto the ball for 3+ seconds on every throw is a big problem. He really got exposed against the Lions and Rams with this and while upgrading the interior line would help, you are then talking $40+ million for Darnold plus the cost of upgrading the line. I really think they are better off taking their chances with McCarthy and using the money saved to improve the rest of the roster.

I am somewhat sympathetic to the argument that McCarthy missing his entire rookie year without being able to practice is somewhat of an unprecedented situation. In that case, you could make the argument to franchise Darnold for a year, but honestly, in that situation I would rather take my chances with Jones or another cheaper veteran QB and trust that O'Connell can create a favorable situation for them.

JimmyinSD wrote:

I dont really understand the bolded part,  unless you are suggesting he would do it as a favor to the franchise,  but why would he not just enter FA,  sign with the team of his choosing, and do so while not costing his future club valuable draft picks?

There is a line of thinking that suggests working with the Vikings could benefit him by having the tag applied and putting that 41 million dollar value on him to start negotiations with other teams. Versus just going out to see what the market looks like and finding out it's more like 25-30 million a year.

It really all hinges on him and his agent being willing to try that route and work with the Vikings, to potentially create a win-win for the team (getting some compensation from another team) and Sam (getting max value on what is clearly the biggest chance to get paid he will ever see in his lifetime).

Whether it's actually feasible to make that all work, I have no idea. The more teams that are interested in Sam the more likely it is that it could possibly work. Worst case, they just let him go and get a comp pick back in 2026.

comet52 wrote:

There is a line of thinking that suggests working with the Vikings could benefit him by having the tag applied and putting that 41 million dollar value on him to start negotiations with other teams.  Versus just going out to see what the market looks like and finding out it's more like 25-30 million a year. 

It really all hinges on him and his agent being willing to try that route and work with the Vikings, to potentially create a win-win for the team (getting some compensation from another team) and Sam (getting max value on what is clearly the biggest chance to get paid he will ever see in his lifetime).

Whether it's actually feasible to make that all work, I have no idea.  The more teams that are interested in Sam the more likely it is that it could possibly work.  Worst case, they just let him go and get a comp pick back in 2026.

If his market is 25-30 million i really dont see any team stepping up and offering draft picks,  plus taking on 10-15 million more on top of that.  The only way I could see this is if some team coveted him so much that they would want a year of exclusive rights to get a deal done that his agent may be resistant to at this time.

StickierBuns wrote:
So in watching Darnold's demeanor in interviews since the end of the season, he's in a pretty good mood. He had fun at the Pro Bowl. I think he knows he's about to get paid and I don't think he cares that much about leaving Minnesota to get it. I don't blame him at all, its a short window for NFL players to make money. Get the bag. He'll probably sign a 3-year contract with someone for mostly guaranteed money and he's set....not that he isn't now, he's made $65 million to this point. But you get what I'm saying.

Rare is the player that doesn't go for the bag when they are a free agent.

He would be an absolute idiot if he didnt...Thats going to change the course for him, his kids, his kids kids...

I think any more swirl on Sam isnt worth it as a Vike fan. At this point I am more interested in how JJM is looking, does Dimes want to stay and compete? Can we get any capital for Sam outside of a 26 comp pick?

I think these guys are well aware that nothing in the NFL is guaranteed except what’s actually guaranteed. He could take $40M for one year with us, hoping to get an even bigger bag, and blow his knee out and be done forever, and he’d be like $80M.

Like people are railing on Cousins for taking an extra year or two of $40M, rather than taking a hometown discount, but if you’re trying to raise up those around you, you can do a lot of good with an extra $80M.

StickierBuns wrote:
Latest from the Rich Eisen show:

The Purple Persuasion
@TPPSkol
J.J. McCarthy is “ahead of schedule” and “able to do just about everything now”, per  @AlbertBreer,
The @Vikings are also comfortable with him as the starting QB in 2025"

“He’s ahead of schedule. He’s able to do just about everything now… he’s going to have a full offseason. So he’s not going to be limited by anything this offseason… they’d be comfortable with him as the starting QB in 2025.”

Which is what everyone expected after the injury. A couple month recovery period and he'd be ready to rock for the off-season program.

StickierBuns wrote:
Latest from the Rich Eisen show:

The Purple Persuasion
@TPPSkol
J.J. McCarthy is “ahead of schedule” and “able to do just about everything now”, per  @AlbertBreer,
The @Vikings are also comfortable with him as the starting QB in 2025"

“He’s ahead of schedule. He’s able to do just about everything now… he’s going to have a full offseason. So he’s not going to be limited by anything this offseason… they’d be comfortable with him as the starting QB in 2025.”

I'm overwhelmingly fine with going with JJM with Daniel Jones as your #1 backup going into the season.

Waterboy wrote:

I'm overwhelmingly fine with going with JJM with Daniel Jones as your #1 backup going into the season.

I believe this is how the Vikings feel as well. New contact, let's tie the new QB starting right along with it.

StickierBuns wrote:

My strong guess is they've always felt this way since they surprisingly had a competition for starting QB in the preseason before JJM's injury. The rest of it has been white noise generated and created by the 24/7 sports media machine. Making up their own news and then responding to that news is how they maintain their jobs. Young fans will pick it up and run with it as always. 'Ahead of schedule' is something I've heard about McCarthy his whole career, get used to it. 

It was a meniscus tear. Not an ACL or Achilles injury. The Vikings love McCarthy. Darnold was always a one and done QB for Minnesota. The only real question is how will JJ perform. I'll surmise 'ahead of schedule'.

Not only did they have a competition, JJ was "ahead of schedule" as well with the competition. If JJ was healthy, we would have seen him start the week after the Jaguars game. The JJ era would have begun.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with Dimes now. He and JJ in the QB room would be ideal for 2025. McCarthy could really benefit from his experience and perspectives.

StickierBuns wrote:

Some team might make Dimes a deal he can't turn down, but yeah ideally he'd be great as the backup. There might be some other vet options out there as well late this summer that could fit the bill.

Jimmy G would make sense as an option.

pattersaur wrote:

Jimmy G would make sense as an option.

That would...Dimes knows the system, the staff and the bldg. For those reasons (and his experience) he would be my #1 choice. 

But yah, there are certainly choices that'll arise if he decides to leave. 

March is going to be a fascinating month in Viking land. Likely to be more entertaining than the draft.

Canthony wrote:

Not only did they have a competition, JJ was "ahead of schedule" as well with the competition. If JJ was healthy, we would have seen him start the week after the Jaguars game. The JJ era would have begun.

No, that absolutely would not have happened. KOC isn't the kind of coach who benches his QB after one bad game. 

After everything he said in the offseason about the danger of throwing QBs into the fire before they're fully prepared, and given his comments about teams with "dirty hands," and given the fact that the Vikings were 8-2 at the time, and given the fact that Darnold was among the league leaders in damn near every category and frequently mentioned in the MVP conversation, no, there's not a chance in hell he would've put JJ in at that point.

StickierBuns wrote:
#Vikings QB JJ McCarthy said he “feels fantastic” and “couldn’t be in a better spot mentally, physically and spiritually.”

McCarthy said it’s “fair to say” that he’s ahead of schedule.
@RichEisenShow

I hope so...

Cause Sunday about 10:00 pm CST, all eyes in Viking land turn to JJM and his progress...

StickierBuns wrote:
#Vikings QB JJ McCarthy said he “feels fantastic” and “couldn’t be in a better spot mentally, physically and spiritually.”

McCarthy said it’s “fair to say” that he’s ahead of schedule.
@RichEisenShow

Sounds like Damage Control  ;)

StickierBuns wrote:

My strong guess is they've always felt this way since they surprisingly had a competition for starting QB in the preseason before JJM's injury. The rest of it has been white noise generated and created by the 24/7 sports media machine. Making up their own news and then responding to that news is how they maintain their jobs. Young fans will pick it up and run with it as always. 'Ahead of schedule' is something I've heard about McCarthy his whole career, get used to it. 

It was a meniscus tear. Not an ACL or Achilles injury. The Vikings love McCarthy. Darnold was always a one and done QB for Minnesota. The only real question is how will JJ perform. I'll surmise 'ahead of schedule'. They believe in him, they want that rookie contract to work off of and expect him to start.

I think the white noise was generated by the Vikings playing with scenarios that gives them something in return for Darnold. I've always felt that the most likely scenario is just letting him get what he can on the open market, but that doesn't mean they didn't (and still aren't) playing out scenarios. 

I think the only real bullshit clickbait was the trade talk involving JJ. That was floated by people who clearly didn't think things through. But it was click-o-licious for many.

Waterboy wrote:

I'm overwhelmingly fine with going with JJM with Daniel Jones as your #1 backup going into the season.

Why do many assume Jones re-signs here as a backup instead of some place that doesnt already have their desired QB1 on the roster?

JimmyinSD wrote:

Why do many assume Jones re-signs here as a backup instead of some place that doesnt already have their desired QB1 on the roster?

He turned down 2 teams that wanted him to start last year to come here to be put on the practice squad. Also, KOC knows him very well. Was part of the draft process with him. I think its very likely he will stay here and compete with JJ

Canthony wrote:

He turned down 2 teams that wanted him to start last year to come here to be put on the practice squad. Also, KOC knows him very well. Was part of the draft process with him. I think its very likely he will stay here and compete with JJ

Nobody was signing Jones midseason to be their starter.  Nobody has starter money tucked away to drop on a midseason change at starting QB.  What he did at the end of this past season and what he'll do going forward are completely different things.  Everyone was offering him around the same amount of money.

The Vikings will have a hard time offering him one year $10M if someone is offering him 3 years, $60M, but maybe he thinks he'll be able to flip it into a 3 years $100M by waiting a year?