At one point this season, the Minnesota Vikings were on a roll with a 9-game winning streak and it seemed like they were going to finish first in the NFC. Their game against the Lions was the decider, but unfortunately, they were just outplayed by Johnson’s offense. Because of that, the Vikings had to settle for a wildcard spot, where they ran into a fired-up Matthew Stafford and the Rams and lost 9-27. The last 2 games though, don’t diminish their achievements as they had a solid season. QB Sam Darnold especially was great for them all year, really stepping up.

Following their loss though, there’s been a lot of talk about what’s next for Darnold. The 27-year-old is about to hit free agency unless the Vikings decide to franchise him. Cam Heyward, for one, definitely thinks the Vikings should keep him around and franchise him. On the Not Just Football podcast, he shared his thoughts, saying, “I don’t know what their cap looks like, but if it’s permitting, I would probably do a franchise tag and you know ride this thing one more year.” Well, the projected franchise tag for QBs is $41.3 million, and the Vikings need to be prepared for that if they franchise Darnold.

Well, if you look at Darnold’s performance this season, it’s hard not to agree with Heyward. The QB was on fire—throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, with a passer rating of 102.5. Darnold even became the first QB ever to record 14 wins in his first season with a team. The only downside? Those last two games, which, of course, happened to be some of the most important ones. Especially against the Rams, in which he got sacked a staggering 9-times. Yes, 9!!

Another factor that will certainly impact the teams’ decision to franchise Darnold is the return of rookie QB J.J. McCarthy. The 21-year-old was expected to be the team’s starter but had to miss the entire season due to injury. Now, McCarthy is set to return for the 2025 season, and with Darnold’s performance in the final two games still fresh in people’s minds, the future of the 27-year-old quarterback remains uncertain, leaving the Vikings’ next move up in the air.

Will Kevin O’Çonnell continue with the Vikings?

It’s not just Darnold’s future with the Vikings that’s in doubt—there’s also speculation about head coach Kevin O’Connell possibly leaving. After the Vikings won 27-25 against the Packers in December, who would’ve thought this would be the discussion in January? After an incredible season, with some of the best performances of the year, both the QB and the head coach might not even be with the team next season. It’s a surprising turn of events.

Recently, Adam Schefter talked about O’Connell’s future, suggesting that he might not stick around with the Vikings if they don’t offer him a fair deal. Schefter said, “If he doesn’t get a fair offer from the Vikings, he could say, ‘I’m not gonna sign that.'” It’s a good point, but the Vikings will probably do everything they can to keep the coach who helped them rack up 14 wins this season. The tricky part for the Vikings is that if they don’t offer O’Connell a contract he feels is fair, he could just finish out his last season and hit free agency next year.

Well, the Vikings certainly find themselves in a spot of bother. The team did really well this season and if they want to continue their success next season, they will need to take some calls. O’Connell moving away still seems improbable right now, but the Vikings should make sure they are on top of the situation. The big question though is about Darnold and whether he will be retained. Well, the Vikings will need to make a decision soon, whatever it may be.