In his breakdown of the top 50 free agents available this offseason, ESPN's Matt Bowen ranks Darnold at No. 6, some 26 spots ahead of the next QB on the list (Pittsburgh's Justin Fields, which underscores just how barren this market is under center). He then estimates that Darnold could receive something in the nine figures:

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold just put together the best season of his seven-year NFL career. After struggling with the New York Jets, who drafted him third overall in 2018, and bouncing around with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers, it seemed like he would be a career backup.

With the Minnesota Vikings crumbling in Week 18 of the regular season and in the Wild Card Round, a guarantee for a return from breakout quarterback Sam Darnold seems to be eliminated. Darnold shocked the NFL landscape by leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record and nearly the No.