Sam Darnold, new Viking's QB

Good morning!! The #Vikings have agreed to terms on a one year deal with QB Sam Darnold, a source says. @RapSheet & @TomPelissero were on it last night. Some Minnesota execs have been intrigued by Darnold for a long, long time. Pairs him with former teammate Josh McCown.

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) March 12, 2024

Our QB coach is now the best QB on the roster

Well, he's been a massive disappointment and will be an even more massive step-down from Kirko. Hope all the Kirk haters/detractors enjoy this special era they've pined for.

In my best Gandalf voice; and so begins your just desserts; The Sam Darnold Era!  

Ok, I got that vitriol out...

A good reminder what a crap-shoot the draft is:

I think he and KAM might have crossed paths at some point so that familiarity led me to believe he was a leading candidate.

As a fan you always have that hope "your team" can find that magic others could not. I'm beyond that now lol!

Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost
seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

I know the Lions are but I don't know about the Bears and Packers

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

Looks bleak right now, but you can see they are signing FAs. If they can hit on a QB in this Draft they like, its a plan that would be considered coming together. KAM needed some flexibility from the cap, that's what he worked toward each year....getting out of the cap hole. They'll have a shitload of cap room next year. They tried to resign Cousins.....are we going to blame KAM for not matching a 4 year contract with the guarantees Atlanta put in there? Not with a straight face.

Exactly. 

Why are people acting like the Vikings are trying to replace Kirk Cousins with Sam Darnold?

— Adam Patrick (@adampatrickNFL) March 12, 2024

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

Looks bleak right now, but you can see they are signing FAs. If they can hit on a QB in this Draft they like, its a plan that would be considered coming together. KAM needed some flexibility from the cap, that's what he worked toward each year....getting out of the cap hole. They'll have a shitload of cap room next year. They tried to resign Cousins.....are we going to blame KAM for not matching a 4 year contract with the guarantees Atlanta put in there? Not with a straight face.

I don't entirely blame KAM for not signing Cousins.  Actually, I now
hope Cousins falls flat on his dorky face in Atlanta.  The fact that KAM
doesn't have a reasonable succession plan for QB in year three of his
"rebuild" is his fault, however.  Did the Vikes believe Cousins when he
said he wanted to stay a Viking?  Seems like they did, but Kirk showed
them he only wanted to stay a Viking if they gave him the most
guaranteed money.I guess I blame Kwesi and Kirk equally. 
Kwesi has egg on his face (again) while "gosh, gee, golly good guy" Kirk is flipping him "the bird"
on his way to the Falcons.

The Vikes don't have a QB now, and everyone here knows they won't come close to playoffs without one.  They went from having the best NFCN QB to the worst in year 3 of Kwesi's rebuild.

@"StickyBun" said: Exactly. 

Why are people acting like the Vikings are trying to replace Kirk Cousins with Sam Darnold?

— Adam Patrick (@adampatrickNFL) March 12, 2024

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Exactly. 

Why are people acting like the Vikings are trying to replace Kirk Cousins with Sam Darnold?

— Adam Patrick (@adampatrickNFL) March 12, 2024

Who's the starting QB next season, a rookie?  I think it's Darnold, unless Mullens or Hall wins the job.

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

Looks bleak right now, but you can see they are signing FAs. If they can hit on a QB in this Draft they like, its a plan that would be considered coming together. KAM needed some flexibility from the cap, that's what he worked toward each year....getting out of the cap hole. They'll have a shitload of cap room next year. They tried to resign Cousins.....are we going to blame KAM for not matching a 4 year contract with the guarantees Atlanta put in there? Not with a straight face.

I don't entirely blame KAM for not signing Cousins.  Actually, I now
hope Cousins falls flat on his dorky face in Atlanta.  The fact that KAM
doesn't have a reasonable succession plan for QB in year three of his
"rebuild" is his fault, however.  Did the Vikes believe Cousins when he
said he wanted to stay a Viking?  Seems like they did, but Kirk showed
them he only wanted to stay a Viking if they gave him the most
guaranteed money.I guess I blame Kwesi and Kirk equally. 
Kwesi has egg on his face (again) while "gosh, gee, golly good guy" Kirk is flipping him "the bird"
on his way to the Falcons.

The Vikes don't have a QB now, and everyone here knows they won't come close to playoffs without one.  They went from having the best NFCN QB to the worst in year 3 of Kwesi's rebuild.

Not telling you how to feel, Happy. You're entitled. Lets just give this whole thing a bit longer and see what happens.

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

Looks bleak right now, but you can see they are signing FAs. If they can hit on a QB in this Draft they like, its a plan that would be considered coming together. KAM needed some flexibility from the cap, that's what he worked toward each year....getting out of the cap hole. They'll have a shitload of cap room next year. They tried to resign Cousins.....are we going to blame KAM for not matching a 4 year contract with the guarantees Atlanta put in there? Not with a straight face.

I don't entirely blame KAM for not signing Cousins.  Actually, I now
hope Cousins falls flat on his dorky face in Atlanta.  The fact that KAM
doesn't have a reasonable succession plan for QB in year three of his
"rebuild" is his fault, however.  Did the Vikes believe Cousins when he
said he wanted to stay a Viking?  Seems like they did, but Kirk showed
them he only wanted to stay a Viking if they gave him the most
guaranteed money.I guess I blame Kwesi and Kirk equally. 
Kwesi has egg on his face (again) while "gosh, gee, golly good guy" Kirk is flipping him "the bird"
on his way to the Falcons.

The Vikes don't have a QB now, and everyone here knows they won't come close to playoffs without one.  They went from having the best NFCN QB to the worst in year 3 of Kwesi's rebuild.

Not telling you how to feel, Happy. You're entitled. Lets just give this whole thing a bit longer and see what happens.

I'll get over this, but I'm still pissed right now.  While Cousins was
never a "top-tier level 1" Qb in my eyes, he did have some impressive
games and threw a nice deep ball.  He noticeably got better with KOC
coaching. 
Last season sucked without a QB, and I guess I just have to come to terms that next season will suck too - yay... Not!The
chances the Vikes get the next great Viking QB in the draft is very
low, IMO.  I understand they have to try, but if they whiff, the current
roster now has nothing either.

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

Looks bleak right now, but you can see they are signing FAs. If they can hit on a QB in this Draft they like, its a plan that would be considered coming together. KAM needed some flexibility from the cap, that's what he worked toward each year....getting out of the cap hole. They'll have a shitload of cap room next year. They tried to resign Cousins.....are we going to blame KAM for not matching a 4 year contract with the guarantees Atlanta put in there? Not with a straight face.

I don't entirely blame KAM for not signing Cousins.  Actually, I now
hope Cousins falls flat on his dorky face in Atlanta.  The fact that KAM
doesn't have a reasonable succession plan for QB in year three of his
"rebuild" is his fault, however.  Did the Vikes believe Cousins when he
said he wanted to stay a Viking?  Seems like they did, but Kirk showed
them he only wanted to stay a Viking if they gave him the most
guaranteed money.I guess I blame Kwesi and Kirk equally. 
Kwesi has egg on his face (again) while "gosh, gee, golly good guy" Kirk is flipping him "the bird"
on his way to the Falcons.

The Vikes don't have a QB now, and everyone here knows they won't come close to playoffs without one.  They went from having the best NFCN QB to the worst in year 3 of Kwesi's rebuild.

Not telling you how to feel, Happy. You're entitled. Lets just give this whole thing a bit longer and see what happens.

I'll get over this, but I'm still pissed right now.  While Cousins was
never a "top-tier level 1" Qb in my eyes, he did have some impressive
games and threw a nice deep ball.  He noticeably got better with KOC
coaching. 
Last season sucked without a QB, and I guess I just have to come to terms that next season will suck too - yay... Not!The
chances the Vikes get the next great Viking QB in the draft is very
low, IMO.  I understand they have to try, but if they whiff, the current
roster now has nothing either.

Superbowl cheer you up?  ;)

New Vikings QB, Sam Darnold pic.twitter.com/0PQu34JofM

— vikesinsider (@vikesinsider) March 12, 2024

Kwesi just put all his eggs in the basket of a rookie QB that he doesn't know he can get. I don't care how much cap room he has next year. By all indications he'll "f" it up. This thing is getting worse by the day, while the Lions of all franchises, are going in hyper speed in the right direction. 

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

Looks bleak right now, but you can see they are signing FAs. If they can hit on a QB in this Draft they like, its a plan that would be considered coming together. KAM needed some flexibility from the cap, that's what he worked toward each year....getting out of the cap hole. They'll have a shitload of cap room next year. They tried to resign Cousins.....are we going to blame KAM for not matching a 4 year contract with the guarantees Atlanta put in there? Not with a straight face.

I don't entirely blame KAM for not signing Cousins.  Actually, I now
hope Cousins falls flat on his dorky face in Atlanta.  The fact that KAM
doesn't have a reasonable succession plan for QB in year three of his
"rebuild" is his fault, however.  Did the Vikes believe Cousins when he
said he wanted to stay a Viking?  Seems like they did, but Kirk showed
them he only wanted to stay a Viking if they gave him the most
guaranteed money.I guess I blame Kwesi and Kirk equally. 
Kwesi has egg on his face (again) while "gosh, gee, golly good guy" Kirk is flipping him "the bird"
on his way to the Falcons.

The Vikes don't have a QB now, and everyone here knows they won't come close to playoffs without one.  They went from having the best NFCN QB to the worst in year 3 of Kwesi's rebuild.

@"medaille" said:

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

Looks bleak right now, but you can see they are signing FAs. If they can hit on a QB in this Draft they like, its a plan that would be considered coming together. KAM needed some flexibility from the cap, that's what he worked toward each year....getting out of the cap hole. They'll have a shitload of cap room next year. They tried to resign Cousins.....are we going to blame KAM for not matching a 4 year contract with the guarantees Atlanta put in there? Not with a straight face.

I don't entirely blame KAM for not signing Cousins.  Actually, I now
hope Cousins falls flat on his dorky face in Atlanta.  The fact that KAM
doesn't have a reasonable succession plan for QB in year three of his
"rebuild" is his fault, however.  Did the Vikes believe Cousins when he
said he wanted to stay a Viking?  Seems like they did, but Kirk showed
them he only wanted to stay a Viking if they gave him the most
guaranteed money.I guess I blame Kwesi and Kirk equally. 
Kwesi has egg on his face (again) while "gosh, gee, golly good guy" Kirk is flipping him "the bird"
on his way to the Falcons.

The Vikes don't have a QB now, and everyone here knows they won't come close to playoffs without one.  They went from having the best NFCN QB to the worst in year 3 of Kwesi's rebuild.

How is it year 3 of a rebuild?

 

Year 1:  Run it back
and try to win with Spielman’s veteran team.

Year 2:  First year of
rebuild:  Tear it down.  Make cap space.

We are here, in between Year 2 and 3.

Year 3:  Second year
of rebuild:  Build what your dream is.

@"mgobluevikes" said: Kwesi just put all his eggs in the basket of a rookie QB that he doesn't know he can get.

This should 100% be the biggest takeaway of the last 24 hours.
It could work out. It might not. But it's a highly unusual amount of risk to take at the QB position.

@"medaille" said:

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"HappyViking" said: Are the other NFCN teams paying Kwesi's salary by any chance?  It almost seems intentional how he's making this roster crappier each off-season and void of any rational winning team plan.

Looks bleak right now, but you can see they are signing FAs. If they can hit on a QB in this Draft they like, its a plan that would be considered coming together. KAM needed some flexibility from the cap, that's what he worked toward each year....getting out of the cap hole. They'll have a shitload of cap room next year. They tried to resign Cousins.....are we going to blame KAM for not matching a 4 year contract with the guarantees Atlanta put in there? Not with a straight face.

I don't entirely blame KAM for not signing Cousins.  Actually, I now
hope Cousins falls flat on his dorky face in Atlanta.  The fact that KAM
doesn't have a reasonable succession plan for QB in year three of his
"rebuild" is his fault, however.  Did the Vikes believe Cousins when he
said he wanted to stay a Viking?  Seems like they did, but Kirk showed
them he only wanted to stay a Viking if they gave him the most
guaranteed money.I guess I blame Kwesi and Kirk equally. 
Kwesi has egg on his face (again) while "gosh, gee, golly good guy" Kirk is flipping him "the bird"
on his way to the Falcons.

The Vikes don't have a QB now, and everyone here knows they won't come close to playoffs without one.  They went from having the best NFCN QB to the worst in year 3 of Kwesi's rebuild.

How is it year 3 of a rebuild?

 

Year 1:  Run it back
and try to win with Spielman’s veteran team.

Year 2:  First year of
rebuild:  Tear it down.  Make cap space.

We are here, in between Year 2 and 3.

Year 3:  Second year
of rebuild:  Build what your dream is.

Obviously, we didn’t have much of a non-Kirk plan since we
got Kirk, spanning 2 GMs and 2 Head Coaches, and that’s a huge negative on both
groups, and while I think it would have been nice to have Cousins as the bridge
QB while we find something better, I think it’s tough to keep committing to Cousins
for 3 years and also plan for building around a rookie while they are on their
rookie deal.  Like if we matched Atlanta’s
deal, we probably have no outs until after 3 years and then we’ve got a $40M dead
cap hit in year 4, assuming no restructuring. 
I also think while Cousins was the best bridge QB, and a guy that can
elevate you to the perimeter of the playoffs, there’s still not a lot of
evidence that he’s the guy that will take you deep into the playoffs, and for a
guy who’s in the upper half of his 30’s, you’d really hope there would be a
track record of winning and there’s not, so now you’re banking on the potential
of Kirk to be able to elevate his game compared to the potential of whichever
rookie we draft and $45M a year.  Like we
can’t even say that Cousins routinely got us to the playoffs.  6 years, 2 playoffs, 1 playoff win.