Vikings Set To Secure Rivals Top Starter On a Lucrative Deal
The Vikings are 5-0, and Sam Darnold is showing signs of being the NFL‘s most improved player. So, why consider trading for another quarterback?
Mike Florio from ProFootballTalk suggested that Minnesota might look into Matthew Stafford if the Rams decide to move on from him, especially after their rough 1-4 start.
Florio noted, “If the Jets manage to expose any weaknesses in Darnold, the Vikings might want to consider an upgrade—especially if they lose to the Lions and then to Stafford’s Rams.” He also pointed out that Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and Stafford have a past together in L.A., where they both won a Super Bowl.
At 36, Stafford has over two years left on his four-year, $160 million contract. While he won a Super Bowl in 2022, the Vikings may not benefit from acquiring him given Darnold’s affordable deal and the potential of J.J. McCarthy as their future franchise quarterback.
Vikings Set To Secure Rivals Top Starter On a Lucrative Deal
Florio mentioned that a Stafford trade could be prompted by injury. If Darnold were to get hurt, it might make some sense for Minnesota to make a move, especially considering their strong performance this season.
Fortunately for Vikings fans, Darnold is healthy, though he did have his worst game last week against the Jets, failing to throw a touchdown and completing only 45.2% of his passes. Still, the team secured the win.
This season, Darnold has a 63.5% completion rate, with 1,111 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. In contrast, Stafford has a 67.4% completion rate, 1,238 passing yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. There’s no clear evidence that Stafford would be a definitive upgrade.
The Vikings are one of the surprising teams this season, and Darnold has been a standout player. Therefore, it seems unnecessary to fix something that isn’t broken.
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