Sam Darnold’s 2024 season ended with two ugly performances, but he will still be a highly-coveted asset when free agency begins in March. He not only played the best football of his career for most of the season, but this year’s NFL draft isn’t as deep at quarterback as last year.
This means Darnold’s value will be further inflated as free agency approaches. Many teams in the top 10 of the draft won’t be able to acquire the top quarterbacks. But if they spend some cash, they may be able to outbid each other for Darnold’s services.
ESPN recently polled NFL executives, personnel figures, and scouts to predict this offseason’s storylines. Atop the list was where Sam Darnold would be playing in 2025. And it’d be in a much warmer climate.
The poll predicted Darnold will be the quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025. Although they have yet to hire a head coach, the Raiders will be in the mix because they have the money to acquire Darnold.
“At Pick 6, [the Raiders] are out of range for a quarterback unless they move up, which wouldn’t be smart based on the amount of holes they have,” a high-ranking personnel man of an NFL team said. “They need every pick. They have flexibility within the cap to get it done.”
The article says that executives believe Darnold’s contract will fall in the “Geno Smith/Baker Mayfield” class of contracts. That would mean the deal would be around three years and $100 million.
Of course, Darnold will wait to see who the Raiders hire as head coach. After failed stints with the Jets and Panthers and his success with the Vikings, Darnold would be wise to make sure he’s going to a team with a proven head coach that can maximize the QB position and surrounding talent.
If the Raiders get an offensive-minded head coach or even a proven coach like Pete Carroll, this prediction is more likely to come to fruition. Darnold rebuilt his image over the past two seasons, so choosing the right destination should be more important than the one offering the most money. Perhaps the Raiders will offer both.