The Minnesota Vikings have decided not to place the franchise tag on quarterback Sam Darnold, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be available to the quarterback-needy New York Giants in free agency.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, “there is still a chance” that Darnold, who had a breakout season with Minnesota in 2024, returns to the Vikings. Jordan Schultz also reported that Darnold and the team have been in talks about a short-term deal, with mutual interest in keeping him in Minnesota.
The 2025 franchise tag for quarterbacks is set at $40.241 million, while Spotrac projects Darnold’s market value at four years, $160.494 million—nearly identical to the contract the Giants gave Daniel Jones after the 2022 season. It remains uncertain whether New York would be willing to invest that much in Darnold, whose career trajectory resembles Jones’s—one strong season boosting his market value after several underwhelming years.
With only Tommy DeVito currently under contract at quarterback, the Giants have been aggressive in their search. They unsuccessfully attempted to trade for Matthew Stafford and have been linked to Aaron Rodgers as a potential free-agent target. Other veteran options, such as Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson, could also be in play, though their availability remains uncertain.
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