Sam Darnold’s Best Landing Spots in 2025

Sam Darnold’s is one of the best comeback stories in recent memory. After being ruled a bust in New York, Darnold journeyed through rosters without hope of earning another starting role. Along with Kevin O’Connell, Darnold has rewritten his story in Minnesota. With the Vikings at 14-2, Darnold is set to make his first-ever playoff start. Unless the Vikings decide to resign him, Darnold will hit the open market in the offseason. Here are Sam Darnold’s best landing spots in 2025:

Las Vegas Raiders

Without a top pick in this year’s draft, the Las Vegas Raiders may once again turn to free agency to find their next starting quarterback. Sam Darnold could be their answer. Las Vegas is certainly not the most stable landing spot for Darnold. The team is currently without an offensive coordinator and lacks talent at multiple offensive positions. So, why is this one of Sam Darnold’s best landing spots in 2025? The Raiders are in a position to offer Darnold more money than any other team in the quarterback market. Las Vegas is set to have over $92 million in cap space in 2025. Their best offer may be difficult for Darnold to turn down.

New York Giants

With a win in week 17, the Giants forfeited control of the top pick in the draft. New York currently holds the fourth pick, with two quarterback-needy teams ahead of them. According to most experts, only two quarterbacks are expected to go at the top of the first round. If the Giants are unable to move up in the draft, they may need to look to a free agent like Sam Darnold as a short-term answer at quarterback. This team, while weak on the offensive line, is stacked with young talent at offensive skill positions. Brian Daboll showed the ability to win without a top-tier quarterback, taking Daniel Jones to the playoffs back in 2022.

Minnesota Vikings

Yes, the Vikings spent a first-round draft pick on J.J. McCarthy in April. Does that mean that they should let a quarterback that they know they can win with walk out the door? Sam Darnold, despite his flaws, has shown that he can thrive in Kevin O’Connell’s system. Continuing this marriage makes sense for both sides of this deal. The Vikings retain a proven winner on what would likely be a short-term deal. Darnold remains with the only organization that has set him up for success. The Vikings can allow McCarthy to sit for another year or two while maximizing the window of success that they’ve stumbled into.

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