The Minnesota Vikings find themselves in an interesting situation after Kirk Cousins decided to take his talents to the Atlanta Falcons at the beginning of the 2024 free agency.
With their long-time QB1 out of the window, they had to scramble to find a replacement to hold the position until they figured out what to do through the 2024 season. They found their temporary fix in Sam Darnold after throwing a wad of cash his way to play as the presumptive QB1 for the Vikings.
There aren’t a lot of people who believe Darnold will be able to hold on to his position. The man has bounced around from team to team with little to show for his efforts. It wouldn’t be reasonable for him to eventually be replaced if the team finally found the QB they’ll be targeting next offseason.
However, this is the perfect opportunity for the USC alum to turn the narrative surrounding him into an inspiring underdog story.
Why Sam Darnold could become the perfect QB for the Minnesota Vikings
At a glance, it doesn’t seem like Sam Darnold is the type of quarterback who can take the Vikings to an improbable Super Bowl run. After all, he only had the chance to start for the San Francisco 49ers during a throwaway loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the final regular-season duel of the 2023 season.
However, there is plenty of reason to believe that he has the potential to become the right gunslinger who can flourish into a star if the stars manage to align.
Existing relationships within the Vikings organization
The first reason for this is the existing relationships he has with the Minnesota Vikings. Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown is a former teammate of Darnold’s during his days with the New York Jets, and his positive rapport with him will help him perform better on the pitch.
His stats over the past two seasons also show encouraging growth. While he only threw for 1440 passing yards, he managed to score nine passing touchdowns and only threw four interceptions.
Backup QBs have flourished over previous seasons
Another big reason that will help Sam Darnold’s chase to become QB1 is the fact that backup QBs have found a way to become relevant in today’s NFL.
Baker Mayfield, the man who was drafted two spots ahead of him in the 2018 Draft, scored a huge contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after taking the team to a surprising divisional-round appearance.
Geno Smith was a known backup QB who also cut his teeth with the Jets. However, he found his passing touch with the Seahawks. While his long-term future with the team’s still up in the air, he showed that he could play with the best of them.
Joe Flacco was supposed to be a washed-up QB who would only serve as a backup. However, he showed that he can still throw when Deshaun Watson went down for the nth time. While many argue over his Comeback Player of the Year win, it’s still an undeniable achievement for him.
Finally, he played with Brock Purdy in San Francisco. The 24-year-old became the most relevant Mr. Irrelevant in the history of the NFL after leading the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII.
There are plenty of examples for him to look into when it comes to unlikely QBs taking lead roles in the team. All he has to do is show the team what he can do and win their trust.
What is stopping Sam Darnold from becoming a star QB?
While there are plenty of reasons for Darnold to become the long-term QB1 for the Minnesota Vikings, there are also plenty of problem areas that would make him a question mark for Kevin O’Connell.
The fact that he didn’t win the starting QB job when he was competing with Baker Mayfield at the Carolina Panthers will have a knock on his stock as a potential QB1.
His terrible stint during his first three years with the New York Jets also put a cloud over his potential. During his days as a starter, he threw for 8097 yards, 45 TDs, and 39 INTs on a 60% completion rate.
Finally, he doesn’t have any major playoff experience. The previous QBs mentioned earlier have all shown their ability to throw under high-pressure situations. Meanwhile, Darnold had to explain why he was seeing ghosts when his Jets played the New England Patriots.
Can Darnold become the Minnesota Vikings’ long-term answer at QB?
the fact that the Minnesota Vikings gave Darnold such a huge contract is proof that the team believes he can lead the team to victory. They see the development he’s shown over the past couple of years is painting an exciting picture both for him and the team.
However, circumstances can only do so much. It’s still up to him to suit up and make his doubters shut up.
For More Content
Message me at c.alamodin.writes@gmail.com for questions and opportunities.