His preseason torn meniscus scuttled those plans and Darnold went on to have a great and surprising year. There are no guarantees that Darnold would be able to repeat his success in 2025, and if the Vikings were to bring him back, his $10 million salary would likely rise to the $35-40 million level.

Despite limping to the finish, the future in Minneapolis is bright. Both head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have secured contract extensions, and the team is bringing back most of its key pieces next fall. The biggest question the Vikings likely face is what to do at QB.