Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is in line to be the starting quarterback for the 2024 season. At one point in camp, it appeared as if there was a competition between him and rookie J.J. McCarthy for the job. Now, with McCarthy having a torn meniscus, Darnold will be for sure the starter for the Vikings.
The question now is who will be the backup quarterback for the Vikings. It will most likely be Nick Mullens and then Jaren Hall will most likely be the third quarterback on Minnesota’s roster until J.J. McCarthy returns.
Darnold has not had a smooth-sailing NFL career. He was the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets from USC. Sam Darnold has played for different NFL teams throughout his career. He has also played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Carolina Panthers.
Yahoo Sports Writer Frank Schwab Believes That This is Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Sam Darnold’s Last Shot To Shine
There are only so many chances that an NFL player is going to get in his NFL career. Darnold has had a bumpy road. According to Yahoo Sports writer Frank Schwab, he believes that this is Sam Darnold’s final shot to do something in the NFL. Schwab said:
“A lot has been made of Caleb Williams stepping into a good situation with the Chicago Bears. Not enough was made of the situation McCarthy (and now Darnold) will be in this season.
Justin Jefferson is one of the best receivers in the NFL, if not the best. Jordan Addison had a productive rookie season, and although he could face a suspension for an offseason arrest it could be a while until the NFL rules on that. T.J. Hockenson will return from a torn ACL and he’s one of the best tight ends in the NFL. The running game has been upgraded. O’Connell is a very good coach.
Every other time Darnold has gotten a shot to start, it has been in a much worse situation. He was the third overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, and the Jets were a poor situation in just about every way for a young quarterback. He had three poor seasons and the Jets moved on.
Darnold got 17 starts for the 2021-22 Carolina Panthers, and that situation wasn’t much better. The first time Darnold had a good coaching staff with great teammates was last season with the San Francisco 49ers, and he was the team’s backup for all but one game.
We’re about to answer a “nature vs. nurture” question with Darnold. Is he fully responsible for his far below average 78.3 career passer rating, or can he thrive in his seventh season with a good environment around him? The Vikings are set up pretty well to maximize the talents of any quarterback.
Darnold wouldn’t be the first quarterback, or even the first highly drafted Jets quarterback, to look like a lost cause only to get in a better situation and have a good season. But it’s also unlikely that another team would have Darnold as its preferred starter if he doesn’t play well this season.
The story on Tuesday was that McCarthy, the 10th pick of the draft, might miss all of most of his rookie season. The other story is that another top 10 quarterback is getting a big chance to revive his career.”
If Sam Darnold does struggle out of the gates for Minnesota, it is going to be a very interesting season for the Vikings. They do not have an easy schedule to start the 2024 season. The Vikings could very well finish in last place in the NFC North for the 2024 season.
They have the worst quarterback by far in the NFC North Division. The Detroit Lions have Jared Goff, the Green Bay Packers have Jordan Love, and the Chicago Bears have Caleb Williams. The Minnesota Vikings will have to wait for a time to see how well J.J. McCarthy could play.
Darnold does get off to good starts at times, but then he falls off a cliff. Sam Darnold being the backup quarterback last season for the San Francisco 49ers may have helped him. Let’s see what Darnold has left in the tank if anything.
