Recapping Sam Darnold's Roller-Coaster Season with the Vikings

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00:00And let's put this all in the context as well the Vikings signed Sam Donald who was a good backup last year in San

00:07Francisco with Kyle Shanahan to a one-year ten million dollar deal only for 2024 kind of to be that bridge

00:16Initially to the young JJ McCarthy who was drafted 10th overall by the Vikings JJ McCarthy got injured at some point in the only

00:25Preseason game he played for the Vikes and looked pretty good in doing so so now out for the entirety of his rookie season

00:32It wasn't Sam Donald the bridge. It was Sam Donald the guy for Minnesota and he exceeded anybody's wildest

00:41expectation of what he could be as an NFL starting quarterback more than

00:464,300 yards in

00:482024 regular season 35 passing touchdowns 12 interceptions a

00:5366%

00:54Completion percentage he rejuvenated his career this year Joe, but I think there was some conversation

01:01Of course in the final month of this season

01:04What would the Vikings do between Sam Donald and JJ McCarthy would they bring Donald back?

01:10Would they pay him after investing a 10th overall selection and a young rookie?

01:15They believe in in JJ McCarthy if Sam Donald were to walk in free agency

01:20Would there be another NFL franchise willing to offer up?

01:252025 30 plus million dollars to bring in Sam Donald to compete for a starting job

01:31I think sadly we learned in the last two games

01:36But Sam Donald as a future in the NFL

01:39But probably not as a starting quarterback that is going to lead your franchise to overwhelming success

01:45In the moments where it matters most

01:48Well, if you can't protect him, then I don't care who they have

01:53Undercenter there whether it be JJ McCarthy or anybody else. I mean listen, those were real numbers

01:59He put up this year for a team that would had a one six and a half

02:04Win total maybe if they were lucky and they doubled that and they win 14 games

02:09they go toe-to-toe with big bad Detroit and

02:12Basically as the season progressed the offensive line got hurt and they got worse and as they got worse

02:19They you end up setting a record by allowing your quarterback to get sacked nine times and hit every other time that he threw the ball

02:26So, you know again, Sam Donald certainly could have played better like the coach said there

02:32But the reality is you don't fix that offensive line and get yourself a running game

02:36It really won't matter who's under center for Minnesota moving forward man

02:40You