Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold likely won’t be back in Minnesota next year, as his one-year contract is set to expire. Over the weekend, BetOnline released the odds for which team will sign the 27-year-old quarterback this off-season, and whether he’ll be a starter for Week 1 of the 2025 season.
Which NFL Team Will Sign Sam Darnold This Off-Season?
The former third overall draft pick had a career year in 2024 as he attempted to shake the “bust” label that followed him for the first six years of his time in the NFL. He finished with 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdowns, putting him 5th in the league in both categories, and demolishing his previous career bests. The Vikings went 14-3 and became the first 14-win team to ever play on Wild Card Weekend, which ended in disappointment for Minnesota with a loss to the Rams.
Not only did they lose back-to-back must-win games to close out their season, but Darnold had two of his worst performances as a member of the team. With a chance to win the NFC North division in Week 18, he has his least-efficient day of the year, and the Vikings failed to score a single touchdown. In the Wild Card game against Los Angeles, he was sacked 9 times and failed to pump any life into what became a stagnant offense.
In 60 minutes, Sam Darnold is losing all the money he made himself the last 6 months.
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 14, 2025
It looked like he was in line for a big pay day, but his poor performance in big games could keep Sam Darnold from signing a rich contract, and could perhaps even relegate him into once again being considered a backup.
New York Giants Have The Best Odds, Followed By The Raiders
Which teams have the best odds of signing the well-traveled QB this off-season?
New York Giants +400
It appeared that the Giants were on their way to securing the top overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a late-season victory took them out of the running. They will now select third, and may opt against drafting one of the top-two quarterback prospects, and could instead hit the free agent market for some veteran help. Darnold’s name will be near the top of the list of available pass-throwers, and he could find himself back in the city where his career began.
Las Vegas Raiders +550
The Raiders have been talked about as a possible destination for draft prospect Shedeur Sanders, and they could be in position with the no. 7 pick if he continues to slide down draft boards. But if they don’t, Las Vegas will likely be looking to upgrade over Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell by replacing them with another veteran, and Sam Darnold could be on their radar.
Pittsburgh Steelers +600
The 2025 season could feature yet another Steelers team that struggles to find consistent quarterback play, which they’ve lacked since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. It is unclear if either of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields will be back next year, and they could look into the free agent pool for another 1-year stop gap before they find their QB of the future. BetOnline has odds for who will be the next signal caller in Pittsburgh, and Darnold is third on the list at +500.
| New York Giants | +400 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +550 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +600 |
| New Orleans Saints | +600 |
| Seattle Seahawks | +600 |
| New York Jets | +700 |
