One of the surprises of the 2024 NFL season was the emergence of veteran quarterback Sam Darnold. It was Darnold’s seventh year in the league, and he was playing with his fourth team, the Minnesota Vikings, but he elevated his game to a new level. Starting all 17 games, Darnold and the Vikings finished the regular season 14-3.
Their year didn’t end on a high note, losing 27-9 in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, but Darnold still shifted his personal narrative, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions this season, while making the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.
Now the question is what’s next. He’s set to be a free agent this offseason, and the Vikings also have J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings. If Darnold actually becomes a free agent, he’s expected to have several QB-needy teams as suitors.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport recently named the top six landing spots for Darnold. One of the teams listed was the New Orleans Saints. While New Orleans doesn’t have a quarterback of the future, fans will certainly shoot down the idea of signing Darnold.
Saints should not be interested in signing Sam Darnold
Although Davenport included New Orleans on the list, he pretty much explained why fans wouldn’t be in support of this move. Admitting that the Saints aren’t one of the most likely teams, he also detailed New Orleans’ cap situation, and that Derek Carr is still on the roster with a cap hit north of $51 million.
"We might as well deal with the elephant in the room where the New Orleans Saints and Darnold are concerned. The Saints enter the offseason more than $60 million over the cap. They also have Derek Carr (who, in a parallel dimension, is Sam Darnold's older brother) under contract for two more years, with a cap hit north of $51 million in 2025."Gary Davenport (Bleacher Report)
Simply put, Sam Darnold won’t be the answer to New Orleans’ problems, he’ll just provide the same issues in a different package. Saints fans are tired of the team trying to band-air their problems with recycled veteran quarterbacks. If New Orleans is going to move on from Derek Carr, the team needs to move on from the idea of him as well, not just the man.
That means investing in a talented young quarterback that truly has the chance to become the franchise QB in New Orleans.