Vikings will not franchise tag Sam Darnold

The deadline to use the franchise tag will pass without the Vikings using one on Sam Darnold.

Reports in recent days indicated that the Vikings would pass on using the tag, which carries a $40.242 million guaranteed salary for the 2025 season. Multiple reports on Tuesday afternoon say that the Vikings have made that decision official.

Darnold joined the Vikings on a one-year deal last offseason and threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns after being installed as the starter in the wake of first-round pick J.J. McCarthy's season-ending knee injury.

Those recent reports have also said that the Vikings and Darnold are talking about a deal that would keep him in Minnesota. If such a deal were to come to fruition, there will be plenty of questions about the team's plans for McCarthy and whether he'd be a trade candidate.

If not, Darnold, who is No. 2 on PFT's list of the top 100 free agents, will likely be pursued by some of the teams that are currently without a clear starting quarterback for 2025.