With Matthew Stafford agreeing to a restructured contract to stay with the Los Angeles Rams, Sam Darnold is now on track to be the most coveted veteran quarterback of the 2025 market. While the Minnesota Vikings have interest in re-signing their 2024 starter, all signs point to Darnold landing elsewhere in the coming weeks, according to The Athletic, with two teams in particular eyeing the journeyman ahead of free agency.
NFL executives believe the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are Darnold’s likeliest destinations for the 2025 season, Alec Lewis reported Monday. The Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers could also enter the Darnold sweepstakes, per Lewis, whereas the Vikings, who signed Darnold to a one-year deal last offseason, “would like to have Darnold back … [but only] if his market is more depressed than expected.”
The Giants were reportedly interested in Stafford before the Rams quarterback resolved financial differences with Los Angeles, so Darnold fits the bill as an experienced fallback option. New York is also a candidate to address quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft, owning the No. 3 overall selection.
The Raiders are a more complicated situation, as there have been conflicting reports regarding their interest in Darnold. The Athletic previously indicated minority owner Tom Brady and new general manager John Spytek “prioritized Stafford [in trade talks] because they are not super high on Sam Darnold” or other veteran quarterbacks set to be available this offseason. Las Vegas also owns a top-10 pick in the draft.