INDIANAPOLIS — As he talked with reporters on Tuesday afternoon at the 2025 NFL Combine, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell beamed with pride when reflecting on everything veteran quarterback Sam Darnold had accomplished in Minnesota. A heavy emphasis on accomplished.

Darnold, the Jets’ third-overall pick in 2018, had a renaissance in Minnesota last year under the tutelage of Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, throwing 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions through 17 regular-season games.

Sam Darnold is set to hit free agency in March after leading the Minnesota Vikings to a surprising 14–3 record and a playoff berth in 2024. The Vikings could either let him walk or bring him back on a new contract or the franchise tag, which would be a one-year deal worth an estimated $42.4 million.

The Vikings have several options at quarterback, but keeping Darnold around feels less and less likely as free agency approaches.

Here are five questions the Vikings must answer at the NFL Combine: The starting point for the Vikings is deciding whether they want Darnold to be their starting quarterback next season.

Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team recently wrote an article discussing where the top available free-agent quarterbacks will wind up in 2025. He believes the Las Vegas Raiders are Darnold’s most likely landing spot.

Among the key questions are where does Minnesota plan to spend its cap space and Dallas Turner's role in 2025.

The Vikings may just decide to keep him and have him serve the same role that Sam Darnold ... in bringing Darnold aboard this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.