Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings, Quarterback
Age: 27-156d (Jun 05, 1997)
Exp: 6 Years
Country: US
College: Southern California
Drafted: Round 1 (#3 overall), 2018
Agent(s): Jimmy Sexton, RJ Gonser, Jim Denton (CAA Football)
2024 Cap Hit

$5,000,000

2024 Cash

$10,000,000

Career Earnings

$65,253,948

2024-2024 Free Agent (CURRENT)

Sam Darnold signed a 1 year , $10,000,000 contract with the Minnesota Vikings, including $6,250,000 signing bonus, $8,750,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $10,000,000. In 2024, Darnold will earn a base salary of $2,500,000, a signing bonus of $6,250,000 and a workout bonus of $250,000, while carrying a cap hit of $5,000,000 and a dead cap value of $8,750,000.
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $10,000,000
Average Salary:
$10,000,000
Signing Bonus:
$6,250,000
GTD at Sign:
$8,750,000
Total GTD:
$8,750,000
Free Agent:
2025 / UFA
MANAGE CONTRACT
Year Age Status Cap HitAnnual Cap % League Cap Cash Annual Cash Cumulative Dead Cap Annual
2024 27 $5,000,000 1.96% $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $8,750,000
2025 28
Void
UFA
 $5,000,000 1.83% - $10,000,000 $5,000,000
2026
Void
 $1,250,000 0.43% - $10,000,000 -
2027
Void
 $1,250,000 0.40% - $10,000,000 -
2028
Void
 $1,250,000 0.37% - $10,000,000 -
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Proration Roster/Gm Bonus Workout Bonus Cap Hit Cap % League Cap Dead Cap
2024 27 $2,500,000 $1,250,000 $1,000,000 $250,000 $5,000,000 1.96% $8,750,000
2025 28
Void
UFA
 - $1,250,000 - - $5,000,000 1.83% $5,000,000
2026
Void
 - $1,250,000 - - $1,250,000 0.43% -
2027
Void
 - $1,250,000 - - $1,250,000 0.40% -
2028
Void
 - $1,250,000 - - $1,250,000 0.37% -
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Bonus Workout Bonus Cash Total Cash Cumulative AYC Cumulative AYC Remaining
2024 27 $2,500,000 $6,250,000 $250,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000
2025 28
Void
 - - - - $10,000,000 - -
2026 29
Void
 - - - - $10,000,000 - -
2027 30
Void
 - - - - $10,000,000 - -
2028 31
Void
 - - - - $10,000,000 - -
Contract Notes

  • $8.75M guaranteed (signing bonus + 2024 salary)
  • Per Game Active Bonus: $58,823 ($1M)
  • 2025-2028 years automatically void 23 days before the start of the 2025 league year

Source: NFL contract specifics generally collected from verified reports.

2023-2023 Free Agent

Sam Darnold signed a 1 year , $4,500,000 contract with the San Francisco 49ers, including $1,500,000 signing bonus, $3,500,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $4,500,000.
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $4,500,000
Average Salary:
$4,500,000
Signing Bonus:
$1,500,000
GTD at Sign:
$3,500,000
Total GTD:
$3,500,000
Free Agent:
2024 / UFA
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2018-2022 Rookie

Sam Darnold signed a 4 year , $30,247,715 contract with the New York Jets, including $20,078,338 signing bonus, $30,247,715 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $7,561,929.
Contract Terms:
4 yr(s) / $30,247,715
Average Salary:
$7,561,929
Signing Bonus:
$20,078,338
GTD at Sign:
$30,247,715
Total GTD:
$30,247,715
Free Agent:
2023 / UFA
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Seasons

6 Years

Career Earnings thru 2024

$65,253,948

Earnings w/ Different Teams

4 teams

Earnings Per Year

Year Age Team(s) Status Cash Total Cash Cumulative Awards
2018 21
Active
$20,558,338
$20,558,338
2019 22
Active
$1,854,895
$22,413,233
2020 23
Active
$3,319,790
$25,733,023
2021 24
Active
$4,774,685
$30,507,708
2022 25
Active / Club Exercised
$18,858,000
$49,365,708
2023 26
Active
$5,888,240
$55,253,948
2024 27
Active
$10,000,000
$65,253,948
Total      
$65,253,948
$65,253,948
Total
$65,253,948

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
3 $1,800,000 $20,078,338 $3,854,685 - - - $25,733,023
2 $19,778,000 - $3,854,685 - - - $23,632,685
1 $1,900,000 $1,500,000 - - $100,000 $1,800,000 $5,888,240
1 $2,500,000 $6,250,000 - - $250,000 - $10,000,000
Year Team(s) Age Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Workout Incentives Cash Total Cash Cumulative
2018
21
$480,000
$20,078,338
$20,558,338
$20,558,338
2019
22
$570,000
$1,284,895
$1,854,895
$22,413,233
2020
23
$750,000
$2,569,790
$3,319,790
$25,733,023
2021
24
$920,000
$3,854,685
$4,774,685
$30,507,708
2022
25
$18,858,000
$18,858,000
$49,365,708
2023
26
$1,900,000
$1,500,000
$100,000
$1,800,000
$5,888,240
$55,253,948
2024
27
$2,500,000
$6,250,000
$250,000
$10,000,000
$65,253,948
Total
$25,978,000
$27,828,338
$7,709,370
$350,000
$1,800,000
$65,253,948
$65,253,948
Total
$25,978,000
$27,828,338
$7,709,370
$350,000
$1,800,000
$65,253,948

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
3 $1,800,000 $20,078,338 $3,854,685 - - - $25,733,023
2 $19,778,000 - $3,854,685 - - - $23,632,685
1 $1,900,000 $1,500,000 - - $100,000 $1,800,000 $5,888,240
1 $2,500,000 $6,250,000 - - $250,000 - $10,000,000

Injuries

Year Weeks Reason
2021 CAR 10 - 15 Shoulder
2022 CAR 1 - 9 Ankle
  • Mar 12, 2024 Signed a 1 year $10 million contract with Minnesota (MIN)
  • Mar 13, 2023 Signed a 1 year $4.5 million contract with San Francisco (SF)
  • Apr 30, 2021 Carolina (CAR) exercised an $18.8 million option for 2022
  • Apr 05, 2021 Traded to Carolina (CAR) from New York (NYJ) for 2022 2nd round pick (#38 - traded), 2022 4th round pick (#111 Max Mitchell) and 2021 6th round pick (#226 - traded)
  • Jul 30, 2018 Signed a 4 year $30.2 million contract with New York (NYJ)
  • Apr 26, 2018 Drafted by New York (NYJ): Round 1 (#3 overall)
Year Team GP GS Snaps Snaps% Pass Attempts Pass Completions Pass Completion % Pass Yards Pass Yards/Gm Pass Touchdowns Pass Interceptions Pass Rating Rush Attempts Rush Yards Rush Touchdowns Fum
2024 MIN 7 7 420 99.30 189 127 67.2 1,610 230.0 14 5 107.24 27 106 0 5
2023 SF 10 1 130 12.20 46 28 60.9 297 29.7 2 1 85.14 21 15 1 3
2022 CAR 6 6 377 75.40 140 82 58.6 1,143 190.5 7 3 92.65 26 106 2 6
2021 CAR 12 11 771 93.10 406 243 59.9 2,527 210.6 9 13 71.94 48 222 5 9
2020 NYJ 12 12 739 74.70 364 217 59.6 2,208 184.0 9 11 72.69 37 217 2 4
2019 NYJ 13 13 853 82.40 441 273 61.9 3,024 232.6 19 13 84.32 33 62 2 11
2018 NYJ 13 13 809 80.80 414 239 57.7 2,865 220.4 17 15 77.62 44 138 1 5

Calculated Market Value

$33.4M Avg. Annual Salary

Market Value

  • 4 years, $133,740,976
  • Avg. Salary: $33,435,244
  • NFL Rank: 21
  • QB Rank: 18

Current Contract

  • Free Agent: 2025
  • Avg. Salary: $10,000,000
  • NFL Rank: 227
  • QB Rank: 22

Comparable Players

We've selected the following players based on their age, contract status, and statistical production to compare Sam Darnold to.

Player Length Value Avg. Salary Age When Signed
Geno Smith 3 $75,000,000 $25,000,000 32
Baker Mayfield 3 $100,000,000 $33,333,333 28
Daniel Jones 4 $160,000,000 $40,000,000 25
Derek Carr 4 $150,000,000 $37,500,000 31
Averages 4 $121,250,000 $33,958,333 29.0

Base Calculated Value

After adjusting the above contracts as if signed at Darnold's current age (27), a linear regression is performed, providing us with the following initial value.

Length Value Avg. Salary
6 $190,270,272 $31,711,712

Statistical Comparisons

Now we'll compare our variables and Darnold statistically over the two seasons prior to their signing. In this case we're analyzing: GP%, Pass Yds/Gm, Pass TD/Gm, Pass INT/Gm, Pass Comp%, Pass Rat, Rush Yds/Gm, Rating

Player GP% Pass Yds/Gm Pass TD/Gm Pass INT/Gm Pass Comp% Pass Rat Rush Yds/Gm Rating
Geno Smith
2021-2022
 61.76 237.33 1.67 0.57 69.10 101.96 19.43 76.85
Baker Mayfield
2022-2023
 85.29 214.03 1.31 0.62 62.15 86.78 8.69 62.60
Daniel Jones
2021-2022
 79.41 208.63 0.93 0.44 65.75 88.67 37.26 73.80
Derek Carr
2021-2022
 94.12 260.19 1.47 0.88 64.60 90.11 6.56 71.45
Average 80.15 230.05 1.35 0.63 65.40 91.88 17.99 71.18
Sam Darnold
2024-2024
 100.00 230.00 2.00 0.71 67.20 107.24 15.14 72.90
Pct Change 24.77 -0.02 48.15 -12.70 2.75 16.72 -15.84 2.42
Median Prime % Change 2.59%
Average Prime % Change 8.28%

Calculated Market Value: Sam Darnold

After applying our Prime % figures into our base calculated value, we're given two values. The average of these values becomes our current calculated market value.

Terms Avg. Salary
4 years, $133,740,976 $33,435,244

FEATURED PLAYER NEWS

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8 of the Scariest Active Contracts

Spotrac celebrates the Halloween season with a look at 8 of the scarier active contracts in major professional sports, including two each from the NFL, NBA, MLB, & NHL.

TRANSACTIONS

Mar 12, 2024
Signed a 1 year $10 million contract with Minnesota (MIN)
Mar 13, 2023
Signed a 1 year $4.5 million contract with San Francisco (SF)
Apr 30, 2021
Carolina (CAR) exercised an $18.8 million option for 2022
Apr 05, 2021
Traded to Carolina (CAR) from New York (NYJ) for 2022 2nd round pick (#38 - traded), 2022 4th round pick (#111 Max Mitchell) and 2021 6th round pick (#226 - traded)
Jul 30, 2018
Signed a 4 year $30.2 million contract with New York (NYJ)
Apr 26, 2018
Drafted by New York (NYJ): Round 1 (#3 overall)

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