Sam Darnold's road to redemption this season has been extraordinary. The former Carolina Panthers quarterback took his game to heights not seen before following a remarkable campaign with the Minnesota Vikings. Even so, his situation remains precarious heading into the postseason.
That sounds strange regarding a quarterback who led his team to 14 wins. But looking at Darnold's overall body of work since entering the league, it cannot be denied.
The Panthers thought they could resurrect Darnold after the former No. 3 overall selection failed to impress with the New York Jets. It wasn't a great environment and the same complications arose. Those in power weren't convinced, trading for Baker Mayfield and sending him to the sidelines again.
Mayfield was set up to fail and Darnold came back under interim head coach Steve Wilks. He was moved on despite making strides. Spending a season backing up Brock Purdy on the San Francisco 49ers and learning from Kyle Shanahan was much-needed.
Sam Darnold galvanized his career after Carolina Panthers' departure
The USC product signed a one-year deal with the Vikings, where he was expected to be a stopgap for first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. When the national college football champion suffered a season-ending knee complication, Darnold became the undisputed starter.
His improvements were drastic and encouraging in equal measure. Darnold benefitted from a much-improved supporting cast consisting of Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Kevin O'Connell — a leading candidate for NFL Coach of the Year — had the scheme and progressive thinking to spark the signal-caller into life.
Darnold completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. His 102.5 passer rating and 60.6 QBR are career highs by a considerable margin. The gunslinger is beloved in the locker room and earned the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.
And yet, there are doubts heading into the playoffs.
His shaky outing during a high-stakes game at the Detroit Lions for the No. 1 seed saw Darnold creep back into old habits. He was flustered under pressure, the distribution was inaccurate, and momentum halted. He looked like the player who toiled in Carolina.
Darnold must prove that his subpar performance was a blip rather than the start of something more concerning. And make no mistake, the Vikings and other teams around the league will be keeping a close eye on developments.
McCarthy is set to return in 2025. That leaves the Vikings with a big decision to make. Do they hand the keys over to the former Michigan standout or give Darnold a megabucks deal?
Giving Darnold $30-40 million per year is a gamble of epic proportions regardless of the strides made this season. They thought a lot of McCarthy before the draft, so nothing is guaranteed. Leaving no doubt during the playoffs — starting on Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams — would do his chances the world of good.
Someone is going to pay Darnold. This year's quarterback class isn't littered with quality, so it's a good time for veteran free agents with proven production to cash in. That's not a bad spot to be in, but nobody knows for sure.
The ball is in Darnold's court. After how things looked for the signal-caller following his woeful stint in Carolina, he must seize the moment.