Sam Darnold

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah declined to comment on Sam Darnold and his future with the Vikings.

Speaking Thursday, Adofo-Mensah said he didn’t want to give reports “the stock answer” only to proceed to do exactly that. It was to be expected from a GM whose team just saw its season end in devastating fashion less than 72 hours ago. Mensah was diplomatic in his response regarding Darnold and his future with the Vikings, saying the team needs to look into how things fit into their “long-term picture” while adding that he believes they have “a lot of good options.” Darnold played at levels few thought possible in 2024, throwing for 4319-35-12 while leading the team to a 14-3 record and within one game of winning the NFC North. That said, rookie J.J. McCarthy is expected to be healthy at the start of next season, and the team just used the No. 10 overall pick on him in last year’s draft. They’ll undoubtedly want to get a look at him, and McCarthy looked good in the preseason before his injury. The Vikings have a lot to figure out. If they don’t want to offer a big contract to Darnold, they could hit him with a franchise tag in hopes of working out a trade with another team to get something back in return. Teams have until 4:00 PM EST on March 4 to determine whether or not they want to tag a player. We’ll learn more about discussions between Darnold and the team in the months to come, but the tag deadline could become something to watch if they aren’t able to agree to a new deal or wish to move on from him in favor of McCarthy.