Vikings legend wants Sam Darnold to return but with a catch

The Minnesota Vikings and Sam Darnold could see a reunion, according to team legend Cris Carter. However, it wouldn’t be a usual arrangement. Carter put on his managerial hat and went through the options as to what the franchise could do. One of those is a franchise tag. However, the Vikings gave Darnold an eye-opening stance on the move.

It’s along similar lines as to what Carter was thinking. He explained on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams why he believes the franchise should keep the quarterback around.

“Well, I think they should keep both quarterbacks,” Carter said. “When you have quarterbacks that play well in your system the way Sam Darnold did, I would not let him go in free agency. I would franchise him, pay him the $41 million, and then let him and JJ (McCarthy) have a competition come this fall.

“You franchise him because having a quarterback like Sam (Darnold) and the year he had, he will always be a commodity. You eventually will be able to trade him.”

Plenty of teams are interested in the Vikings quarterback. He had a career year and led Minnesota to a 13-4 record. He thrived under head coach Kevin O’Connell and his offense. However, there are some interesting elements to the case. Some believe he’s a product of the offense. Others say he is for real. As a result, the Las Vegas Raiders have been the team to watch for Darnold.

Why does Cris Carter see the Vikings keeping Sam Darnold?

Although the Vikings selected McCarthy in the 2024 NFL Draft, he had season-ending knee surgery before his season was underway. As a result, they went to Darnold, and he proved to be what they needed. However, McCarthy is approaching full health and is the quarterback the franchise wants in the long-term.

Even with the $41 million tag, plenty of teams would be willing to take it on, especially for only one season. Carter understands why the Vikings are contemplating giving Darnold the money but justifies his point.

“It is a lot of money and several good players that you can allocate that money for,” Carter said. “I think the best option from the beginning from a football standpoint. You can’t just let him leave out the door after having a spectacular season and let someone else sign him. So the only way you’re going to be able to trade him is to franchise him. So I would keep him there on the roster.”

At the end of the day, Minnesota can have some leverage if they give him a deal and perform a near sign-and-trade with another team. Plenty of NBA general managers would be proud. No matter what, that can maximize the result and what the Vikings can get back from Darnold.