Vikings legend Sam Darnold says ‘should be the one moving on’ despite poor season ending
Some may say Sam Darnold has spent a lot of money over the past few games, but one Minnesota Vikings legend says Darnold has done enough to deserve to continue as a franchise player. quarterback.
The No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft has rewritten his story in his first 16 games, completing 68.1 percent of his passes for 4,153 yards and 35 touchdowns. All of these numbers are career highs so far.
But in his final two games — one in which he would have clinched a No. 1 seed and the other in the playoffs — he threw for just one touchdown and 411 yards, holding his offense to just 18 points.
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold runs off the field after a game against the Tennessee Titans on November 17, 2024 in Nashville. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Darnold has performed like he was known for before arriving in Minnesota in the last two games, and there are now calls for the team to set its sights on JJ McCarthy, the quarterback they drafted with the 10th overall pick last year.
But former Vikings running back Chuck Foreman thinks Darnold’s performance is enough to keep him as the starter.
“This guy comes into the league, gets drafted by a team with no talent, and he gets tagged. Goes to another team with no talent, gets tagged even more. Then he goes to San Francisco, a team that has no talent. Winning teams, supporting coaches, showing him the way…and then him coming here with Kevin, he took them to another level,” Foreman told Outkick’s “The Ricky Cobb Show.”
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold throws a pass to the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Jeffrey Becker/Imagn Images)
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Foreman blamed both losses on Minnesota’s offensive line rather than Darnold, who he said was ineffective against the Lions and Rams.
“The pressure he’s under, I only see one or two other quarterbacks getting away with, and that’s Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen,” Foreman added.
“I signed him and I hope they can come together in the middle. I understand the money part, but I hope Sam understands his career has been resurrected here. He has a following here. Make adjustments next season, but I think he should be the one.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (center right) pose during a game on October 24, 2024 in Inglewood, California. Hugs after the game. (AP Photo/Mark J. Trier)
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Darnold is a free agent after the season and is a candidate for the franchise tag. His previous highs for yards and touchdowns were 3,024 yards and 19 touchdowns, respectively, in 2019 with the New York Jets.
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