Just several months ago, many people considered Sam Darnold, the former University of Southern California star who was the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, to be a bust and merely a decent backup quarterback at the pro level.
But this season, he blossomed in a big way for the Minnesota Vikings and allowed them to greatly surpass virtually everyone’s expectations.
Now, he is about to become a free agent, and as a result, there is a good chance he will be wearing a different uniform this September.
One Vikings insider feels Darnold would be a great fit for the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that is greatly in need of a competent quarterback, per The Purple Persuasion.
“I think Sam would be a really good fit because that offense will get him playing fast.”
Sam Darnold WOULD absolutely be a great fit with the @Raiders.
That said… go get another team interested Kwesi and execute a successful tag and trade 🫡 pic.twitter.com/Io5TCOgFTZ
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) February 24, 2025
The Raiders, who went 4-13 in 2024, have a new head coach in Pete Carroll and a new offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly, which means they need a very capable quarterback who can run an up-tempo offense.
Darnold threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns this season, which earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl, and he likely established that he can be a stud if he is surrounded by legitimate weapons and good coaches.
However, the Raiders, as presently constituted, don’t have a lot of offensive weapons.
While tight end Brock Bowers just completed a sensation rookie year and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers posted 1,027 receiving yards in 2024, they don’t have a legitimate alpha playmaker, and they have arguably the weakest running back room in the NFL.
Outside of perhaps Aaron Rodgers, Darnold could be the most sought-after signal-caller this offseason across the league.
