Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are welcoming former Washington Commanders defensive lineman Jonathan Allen for a visit Monday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, who added that the two-time Pro Bowler has "a good amount of interest."

The Commanders released Allen on Friday after eight seasons. In 109 games, Allen amassed 401 tackles, 118 quarterback hits and 42 sacks. He was also the team's Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee in 2020 and 2021.

In 2024, Allen missed nine regular-season games with a partially torn left pectoral muscle. He's normally been a mainstay in the team's lineup, though, missing just three games overall from 2018-2023.

He ended the year with 19 tackles, seven quarterback hits and three sacks. Allen also was in the lineup for all three of Washington's playoff games through the NFC Championship, marking the team's first appearance in that contest since 1991.

Ultimately, this move was money-related. Allen was going into the year heading into the final season of a four-season, $72 million contract extension. He initially was granted a trade request, but when one didn't materialize, the Commanders released him and saved $16.5 million in cap space.

Ultimately, Allen's body of work assuredly merits interest. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the San Francisco 49ers are expected to target Allen.

Now the Vikings are in the mix as well. Ultimately, Allen shouldn't have to wait long to find his new team, and one can surmise he'll be paid handsomely at his second NFL stop too.

While Sam Darnold's return to the Minnesota Vikings once seemed like a strong possibility, the market has changed now that the Seattle Seahawks have a quarterback opening.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Darnold is no longer expected to remain with the Vikings when the free-agency tampering period begins on Monday.

Pelissero noted Minnesota has shifted its focus to other options, including bringing back Daniel Jones.

The Seahawks agreed to a deal on Friday that will send Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2025 third-round draft pick, per Pelissero.

Even though the Vikings elected not to use the franchise tag to ensure they could keep Darnold, there had been growing speculation that the two sides might work out a deal.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini said on Friday's episode of the Scoop City podcast that "most teams" around the NFL were thinking Darnold and the Vikings would find common ground on a contract.

It was a bit surprising to think the Vikings would keep Darnold because of how much they invested in J.J. McCarthy last year. They used the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft to select the Michigan quarterback.

A torn meniscus suffered in preseason ended McCarthy's season, opening the door for Darnold to be the starter.

Darnold took that opportunity and ran with it. He threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and completed 66.2 percent of his attempts. The Vikings' 14-3 record was tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the second-best in the NFC.

Things didn't end well for Darnold in 2024. His last two games in Week 18 and the wild-card round were his two worst of the season. He combined to go 43-of-81 (53.1 percent) for 411 yards with one touchdown, one interception and 11 sacks.

The way the season ended for Darnold did harken back to the days when he looked like a draft bust for the New York Jets, but that doesn't necessarily wash away what he accomplished in the previous 16 games.

If Seattle ends up being where Darnold signs, the hope is that those 16 games are more indicative of what he's capable of going forward.

New Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has experience with Darnold when they were with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023. Kubiak was the passing game coordinator on Kyle Shanahan's staff when Darnold was the backup to Brock Purdy.

If Darnold leaves the Vikings, it would seem to signal that McCarthy will enter training camp as their starter. Jones finished last season as their backup after being signed in November following his release by the New York Giants.

It looks like the Minnesota Vikings could bring quarterback Sam Darnold back after his strong 2024 season.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported on Friday's Scoop City podcast that "most teams" think a new contract will be reached between Minnesota and Darnold, although she cautioned it's not "official" or "final."

Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million deal with Minnesota last offseason and was expected to compete with rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy for the starting job in 2024. A preseason injury put McCarthy out for the season and Darnold proceeded to make the most of his opportunity.

Darnold threw for 4,319 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024 while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record. The postseason ended in disappointing fashion as Minnesota lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round, but there's no doubt Darnold's 2024 performance did more good than harm for his reputation on the open market.

The 27-year-old is set to be a sought-after free agent if he hits the open market, especially with quarterback-needy teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and New York Jets all searching for new signal-callers.

If Sam Darnold is going to remain with the Minnesota Vikings for the 2025 season, it reportedly won't be on the franchise tag.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Monday that Minnesota is unlikely to use the tag on the quarterback before the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday. 

Both reports suggested there is interest in bringing him back without the use of the tag.

Darnold is one of the most intriguing situations of the entire offseason. He is coming off a career year, had generally struggled for the rest of his time in the NFL prior to joining the Vikings for the 2024 season and also had issues in his most recent two games when the stakes were at their highest.

What's more, Minnesota used the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft on J.J. McCarthy and surely wants to see what he is capable of after he missed his rookie season with injury.

Had the Vikings used the franchise tag on Darnold, he could have remained as a one-year bridge quarterback until McCarthy was perhaps ready to take over as the long-term face of the franchise.

Alas, the team reportedly chose a different direction and now runs the risk of losing the veteran to another team in free agency for nothing in return.

Darnold was largely excellent for the Vikings in 2024 and completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. However, he went 18-of-41 and failed to lead a single touchdown drive in a loss to the Detroit Lions in the regular-season finale that decided the NFC's No. 1 seed.

He was then sacked nine times in a 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Round, ending what was a career-best season on quite the sour note.

The closing stretch of the season may eventually cost Darnold some money in free agency, but he still looked like a much better version of himself than the one who went a combined 21-35 as a starter for the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.

Prior to the 2024 season, he was largely known as the quarterback who failed to live up to expectations as the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft. 

Darnold's performance on the Vikings helped change the narrative surrounding him, and perhaps there is a long-term contract waiting as a reward since the team reportedly will not be using the franchise tag on him this offseason.

The Minnesota Vikings are "open to doing a deal" with quarterback Sam Darnold, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on SportsCenter Friday. He further noted that a franchise tag is "not the likeliest path."

"I'm told the Minnesota Vikings are open to doing a deal with Sam Darnold," Fowler began.

"People I've talked to around the league believe that the franchise tag is not the likeliest path in Minnesota...that's a high number of around $40 million. So Minnesota's stance seems to be that they're not gonna mortgage the future for Sam Darnold if he's getting major bank with another team somewhere else, they probably won't mortgage their future in that regard, but they're certainly open to having him back. They loved having him."

Fowler then spoke on quarterback JJ McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft who missed all of last season after suffering a torn meniscus during a preseason game. He also discussed the possibility of the Vikings retaining Daniel Jones, who they picked up and placed on the practice squad after the New York Giants parted ways with him last November.

"What was made clear to me, though, is JJ McCarthy is the franchise quarterback at some point, whether that's six months or now, 12 months, 18 months, they have not made that firm determination yet, but he will be the guy, so whoever steps in this year is essentially a bridge quarterback. Daniel Jones could make some sense. I'm told that he's still on the table as an option. He was in the building last year. He would be a cheaper alternative to Sam Darnold."

Darnold, who was added on a one-year deal as a bridge quarterback of sorts last season, was sensational for the 14-win Vikings, amassing 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdowns. His breakout campaign led to his first-ever Pro Bowl appearance.

Darnold was great for much of the year, and that should certainly suit him well in free agency.

His year did end in tough fashion, with the Vikings scoring just nine points apiece in the regular season finale (a 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions to decide the NFC's No. 1 seed) and the NFC Wild Card round (a 28-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams).

Still, Minnesota doubled its win total from the previous year and finished ninth in scoring in part because of Darnold's play.

Based on Fowler's report, it's clear that Darnold wouldn't be seen as the long-term solution at quarterback, simply because McCarthy is the answer there. The question, then, is whether he can find a new team elsewhere that would give him a good deal.

Fowler reported on Darnold last month after the Vikings' season ended and said teams have "forecasted him in Geno Smith/Baker Mayfield weight class of contracts."

Smith is on a three-year, $75 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Mayfield is on a three-year, $100 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

That would mean a huge raise for Darnold, who had a one-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings. It's certainly possible a QB-needy team lands him on a deal in the Mayfield/Smith range, and that could potentially preclude him from heading back to Minnesota. For now, though, it's all up in the air until free agency gets going in March.

The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly expecting J.J. McCarthy to remain the future QB1 regardless of whether the team franchise tags or re-signs Sam Darnold.

According to The Athletic's Alec Lewis, the organization still has an "internal sentiment" of "McCarthy being the Vikings' future."

Per Lewis, Vikings leadership "has long been hopeful that it could pair a promising young quarterback on a rookie contract with ample spending on the rest of the roster."

Accordingly, Lewis believes it's unlikely the Vikings will offer Darnold a multiyear extension.

McCarthy, who missed his rookie season and underwent multiple right knee surgeries after suffering an injury in his Aug. 10 preseason debut, recently said he expects to rejoin Vikings in time for OTAs this spring.

"We're ahead of schedule, on track, whatever you want to call it," McCarthy said two weeks ago when speaking with Sports Illustrated's Claudette Montana.

As of Tuesday, the Vikings have the option to franchise-tag Darnold until the exclusive signing period closes on March 4. Over the Cap projects the cost of tagging a quarterback will exceed $41.3 million.

That's a steep cost to keep Darnold under team control. ESPN's Kevin Seifert recently predicted it is "more likely" the Vikings use the tag on another player like cornerback Byron Murphy Jr.

The Vikings came within one victory of tying the franchise's single-season record during Darnold's 14-win campaign as the starter but ended the campaign by tumbling into the Wild Card round and being subsequently eliminated in a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Although head coach Kevin O'Connell said after the Vikings' elimination that it was important to consider Darnold's "body of work" rather than focus on those last two games, the end of the season could have impacted what Minnesota is willing to give up to retain him.

If the team doesn't sign Darnold, he will be able to speak with other teams when free agency opens March 10.

Even if the Vikings do find a way to bring back Darnold for another season, however, it sounds like the organization's plans haven't fundamentally changed since O'Connell said McCarthy was the organization's "franchise quarterback" last August.

Cleveland Browns pass-rusher Myles Garrett cited a desire to realistically compete for a Super Bowl when he requested a trade earlier this month, and joining a team that won 14 games during the 2024 season would be one way to do just that.

And that team's star player would love to be teammates with Garrett.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was asked to pitch the six-time Pro Bowler on joining the NFC North team and said: "Myles, you know where to go, brother. We need about one, two extra pieces, and you'll fill in that piece. We need you."

Garrett would make an already strong Minnesota defense that much better.

The Vikings finished tied for fourth in the league with 49 sacks last season with Jonathan Greenard (12 sacks) and Andrew Van Ginkel (11.5 sacks) leading the way.

Having someone like Garrett along the defensive front would open up even more blitzing holes for the linebacker duo given the amount of double teams the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year consistently draws.

Jefferson pointed out how the Vikings are only a piece or two away from reaching their goals, which is an understandable position given how their 2024 campaign unfolded.

They went 14-3 but lost the regular-season finale to the Detroit Lions that would have clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed and then lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round. They were just a step behind the elite teams in the conference by the time the playoffs arrived.

Adding someone like Garrett would help them control the line of scrimmage and set the tone in the physical late-season games. It will surely cost plenty in return to acquire one of the best defenders in the league, but a Super Bowl trophy would be quite the prize.

Jefferson seems to be on board with the potential move.

Veteran quarterback Sam Darnold's time with the Minnesota Vikings reportedly appears to be set to end after just one year.

ESPN's Kevin Seifert reported that as Darnold prepares to enter free agency this offseason, the Vikings "seem more likely to let Darnold sign elsewhere and preserve their [franchise] tag."

Per Over The Cap, the franchise tag for quarterbacks is expected to exceed $41 million. Seifert explained that retaining Darnold using the franchise tag would be a costly move, but it wouldn't stand in the way of the development of 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.

"Using the tag on quarterback Sam Darnold would be an expensive way of ensuring his return while avoiding a longer-term commitment that would hinder J.J. McCarthy's eventual ascension," Seifert stated. "It could also be a way to elicit additional value by way of a trade, but that would require a knowledge that multiple teams would be willing to bid."

Seifert named cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who had a career-high six interceptions in 2024 and is entering his prime at 27 years old, as a more likely candidate to receive Minnesota's franchise tag.

Darnold is coming off a career year that included his first Pro Bowl selection, so he should generate interest from quarterback-needy teams this offseason.

Impending free-agent running back Aaron Jones discussed former teammate Aaron Rodgers, the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback situation and his own future in Minnesota during Super Bowl LIX weekend in New Orleans.

In an interview with TMZ Sports, Jones expressed his belief that Rodgers has plenty left in the tank despite being 41 years old, saying: "I feel like he's still got a lot to prove. Now, he's really going to have a chip on his shoulder. He's going to go out and show that, 'You guys made the wrong decision. I got a lot of ball left and we're going to be good.'"

Rodgers and Jones were teammates with the Green Bay Packers from 2017 to 2022, and they experienced a great deal of success together.

While they were teammates, Rodgers was a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL MVP, and Jones was a one-time Pro Bowler and three-time 1,000-yard rusher.

Rodgers was traded from the Packers to the New York Jets prior to the 2023 season, but he missed all but one game during his first campaign with the Jets due to a torn Achilles.

The future Hall of Famer returned to start all 17 games for the Jets in 2024, but they went a disappointing 5-12, leading to the firing of head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas.

On Sunday, Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported that the Jets informed Rodgers they plan to move on from him next season, meaning he will either have to continue his career elsewhere or retire.

As for Jones, he enjoyed a strong first season in Minnesota in 2024, rushing for 1,138 yards and five touchdowns to go along with 51 receptions for 408 yards and two more scores.

While the 30-year-old is set to hit the open market, he suggested he would like to return to the Vikings in 2025, saying, "I hope to be back there."

The Vikings were among the NFL's best surprises this past season, as they went 14-3 and reached the playoffs, which is a result few expected after quarterback Kirk Cousins left for the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.

Minnesota signed Sam Darnold to replace him and also selected J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft to be their quarterback of the future.

After McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury during the preseason, the Vikings moved forward with Darnold as the starter and he delivered, setting career highs with 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdowns to go along with 12 interceptions.

Darnold did struggle in the Vikings' regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions and their playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, though, leading to speculation that the Vikes could let him walk in free agency and name McCarthy the starter.

Jones is confident that either quarterback will be able to succeed in Minnesota moving forward, saying:

"Whoever's gonna be at quarterback, they'll be ready. We'll be ready to push them, lead them. Sam was great for us and we hope to have him back as well, but J.J.'s ready when it's his time. He had a great preseason. Unfortunately he got hurt during that, but he was having a heck of a camp. So, confident in both quarterbacks."

Jones went on to say, "We're set," regardless of who the Vikings decide to make the starting quarterback in 2025 and beyond.

Given that the Vikings have excellent offensive weapons and a strong defense that ranked fifth in the NFL in points allowed in 2024, it is difficult to argue with Jones' assessment.