The Minnesota Vikings shocked the league in 2024. After entering the season with veteran quarterback Sam Darnold as the stopgap starter, Minnesota wasn’t expected to be a playoff contender. Although the Vikings finished the season on a sour note after sputtering in their last two games,

NFC North, lost to Rams in wild-card round Overview: Before it fell apart in the end, this was the best Vikings season in years, which is remarkable considering their rookie quarterback didn’t play a single snap.

His preseason torn meniscus scuttled those plans and Darnold went on to have a great and surprising year. There are no guarantees that Darnold would be able to repeat his success in 2025, and if the Vikings were to bring him back, his $10 million salary would likely rise to the $35-40 million level.