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The Minnesota Vikings saw starting quarterback Kirk Cousins leave in free agency for the Atlanta Falcons, leaving a huge hole for the team to fill.
On Monday, the team agreed to terms on a deal with quarterback Sam Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
After signing Sam Darnold, will the former USC quarterback be the starter for the Vikings in 2024?
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Who Will Be The Vikings' Starting Quarterback?
With Kirk Cousins gone, the Vikings needed to add a quarterback. The combination of Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall started nine games under center in 2023, going a combined 3-6 in those contests. Dobbs had his moments, but he was eventually benched for poor play.
As of now, Darnold is the most experienced quarterback on the roster and stands the best chance of starting out of the gates. He played a reserve role for the 49ers in 2023, but he had some decent games in 2022 as a starter for the Carolina Panthers, throwing seven touchdowns in his six starts. He won't set the world on fire, but he's a solid bridge to the team's next quarterback.
Vikings expected to sign QB Sam Darnold to one-year, $10M deal.
(via @RapSheet, @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/m31LyZin7a
— NFL (@NFL) March 12, 2024
Minnesota drafts at No. 11 in the first round but could be a candidate to trade up for a quarterback. However, they're unlikely to land one of the top options and would presumably end up with someone like J.J. McCarthy or, if he's off the board, they could look at Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix in the second round.
Sam Darnold Fantasy Football Outlook
The Vikings have a really good group of wide receivers who will help Sam Darnold succeed, though that doesn't mean he has a great fantasy outlook. If the Vikings draft a rookie, it's possible that Darnold only starts until the rookie is ready to play or Minnesota is too far out of playoff contention.
Fantasy managers should view Darnold as a QB3 option. His lack of long-term upside coupled with his poor track record in the NFL makes him more of a situational streaming option than anything else.
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