Just as Mattthew Stafford rumors dominated the streets of New Orleans three weeks ago, they’re expected to captivate conversations at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. This week, though, one of the newer rumors involves the Vikings.
Get out your PhotoShop and picture Stafford guiding Kevin O’Connell’s Minnesota offense, which originated with Sean McVay in Los Angeles, and Sam Darnold signing with the Rams. When Stafford’s agent collects data from other teams this week, and if the Rams aren’t on the same page with their quarterback’s perceived value, strap in.
“This dragged all through the offseason last year,” said insider Dan Graziano on Get Up Monday morning. “I don’t get the impression that the Rams want that to happen again. I think they’d like an answer sooner rather than later, sometime in the next couple of days, so they can figure out what their quarterback plan is, if it’s not Stafford.”
While not the blockbuster trade similar to what Les Snead and McVay orchestrated with the Lions four years ago, it would essentially amount to the same outcome – swapping elite starting quarterbacks. And to take the drama to another level, Graziano suggested the Vikings could sign Darnold before he hits free agency, then deal him to the Rams.
Either way, picturing Stafford firing passes to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson could be the catalyst that convinces the Vikings to let Darnold leave. Minnesota has the NFL’s seventh-most cap space, according to Over the Cap. The Vikings could certainly allocate some of that $63 million toward Stafford, who just turned 37.
Stafford on a Vikings roster also creates options for J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall selection in the 2024 draft. McCarthy would learn from Stafford while awaiting his turn, or the Vikings could shop their young signal-caller with at least a dozen quarterback-needy clubs.
O’Connell served as McVay’s offensive coordinator from 2020-21, including the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI championship with Stafford at the controls.
Darnold, who figures to command approximately $35-40 million annually on the market, would see plenty of familiar concepts in McVay’s playbook. Darnold established career highs in every major category with O’Connell last season, while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record before the Rams eliminated Minnesota in the wild-card round.