Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings, Quarterback

Age: 27-155d (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	2024 Release/Trade PRE-6/1 RELEASE 2024 Dead Cap: $8,750,000 2024 Savings: $-3,750,000 PRE-6/1 TRADE 2024 Dead Cap: $6,250,000 2024 Savings: $-1,250,000 What is a Pre-6/1 Release or Trade? When a player is released or traded before June 1st, all of the dead cap remaining on his contract (including any guaranteed salary) accelerates into the current year. POST-6/1 RELEASE 2024 Dead Cap: $3,750,000 2025 Dead Cap: $5,000,000 2024 Savings: $1,250,000 POST-6/1 TRADE 2024 Dead Cap: $1,250,000 2025 Dead Cap: $5,000,000 2024 Savings: $3,750,000 What is a Post-6/1 Release or Trade? When a release or trade is processed after June 1st (including a Post June 1st Designation transaction), the remaining dead cap on the contract is allowed to split across the current year & the following year. Dead cap that is directly associated with the current year plus all future guaranteed salary remains as current year dead cap, while the remaining future year dead cap is allocated to the following season.
2025	28	Void UFA	-	$1,250,000	-	-	$5,000,000	1.83%	$5,000,000	2025 Release/Trade PRE-6/1 RELEASE 2025 Dead Cap: $5,000,000 2025 Savings: $0 PRE-6/1 TRADE 2025 Dead Cap: $5,000,000 2025 Savings: $0 What is a Pre-6/1 Release or Trade? When a player is released or traded before June 1st, all of the dead cap remaining on his contract (including any guaranteed salary) accelerates into the current year. POST-6/1 RELEASE 2025 Dead Cap: $0 2026 Dead Cap: $5,000,000 2025 Savings: $5,000,000 POST-6/1 TRADE 2025 Dead Cap: $0 2026 Dead Cap: $5,000,000 2025 Savings: $5,000,000 What is a Post-6/1 Release or Trade? When a release or trade is processed after June 1st (including a Post June 1st Designation transaction), the remaining dead cap on the contract is allowed to split across the current year & the following year. Dead cap that is directly associated with the current year plus all future guaranteed salary remains as current year dead cap, while the remaining future year dead cap is allocated to the following season.
2026		Void	-	$1,250,000	-	-	$1,250,000	0.43%	-	2026 Release/Trade PRE-6/1 RELEASE 2026 Dead Cap: $0 2026 Savings: $1,250,000 PRE-6/1 TRADE 2026 Dead Cap: $0 2026 Savings: $1,250,000 What is a Pre-6/1 Release or Trade? When a player is released or traded before June 1st, all of the dead cap remaining on his contract (including any guaranteed salary) accelerates into the current year. POST-6/1 RELEASE 2026 Dead Cap: $0 2027 Dead Cap: $0 2026 Savings: $1,250,000 POST-6/1 TRADE 2026 Dead Cap: $0 2027 Dead Cap: $0 2026 Savings: $1,250,000 What is a Post-6/1 Release or Trade? When a release or trade is processed after June 1st (including a Post June 1st Designation transaction), the remaining dead cap on the contract is allowed to split across the current year & the following year. Dead cap that is directly associated with the current year plus all future guaranteed salary remains as current year dead cap, while the remaining future year dead cap is allocated to the following season.
2027		Void	-	$1,250,000	-	-	$1,250,000	0.40%	-	2027 Release/Trade PRE-6/1 RELEASE 2027 Dead Cap: $0 2027 Savings: $1,250,000 PRE-6/1 TRADE 2027 Dead Cap: $0 2027 Savings: $1,250,000 What is a Pre-6/1 Release or Trade? When a player is released or traded before June 1st, all of the dead cap remaining on his contract (including any guaranteed salary) accelerates into the current year. POST-6/1 RELEASE 2027 Dead Cap: $0 2028 Dead Cap: $0 2027 Savings: $1,250,000 POST-6/1 TRADE 2027 Dead Cap: $0 2028 Dead Cap: $0 2027 Savings: $1,250,000 What is a Post-6/1 Release or Trade? When a release or trade is processed after June 1st (including a Post June 1st Designation transaction), the remaining dead cap on the contract is allowed to split across the current year & the following year. Dead cap that is directly associated with the current year plus all future guaranteed salary remains as current year dead cap, while the remaining future year dead cap is allocated to the following season.
2028		Void	-	$1,250,000	-	-	$1,250,000	0.37%	-	2028 Release/Trade PRE-6/1 RELEASE 2028 Dead Cap: $0 2028 Savings: $1,250,000 PRE-6/1 TRADE 2028 Dead Cap: $0 2028 Savings: $1,250,000 What is a Pre-6/1 Release or Trade? When a player is released or traded before June 1st, all of the dead cap remaining on his contract (including any guaranteed salary) accelerates into the current year. POST-6/1 RELEASE 2028 Dead Cap: $0 2029 Dead Cap: $0 2028 Savings: $1,250,000 POST-6/1 TRADE 2028 Dead Cap: $0 2029 Dead Cap: $0 2028 Savings: $1,250,000 What is a Post-6/1 Release or Trade? When a release or trade is processed after June 1st (including a Post June 1st Designation transaction), the remaining dead cap on the contract is allowed to split across the current year & the following year. Dead cap that is directly associated with the current year plus all future guaranteed salary remains as current year dead cap, while the remaining future year dead cap is allocated to the following season.

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	Status	Cash Total	Cash Cumulative
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	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	Age	Base	Signing	Restructure	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	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

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Sam Darnold

2024 Cap Hit

2024 Cash

Career Earnings

2024-2024 Free Agent (CURRENT)

2023-2023 Free Agent

2018-2022 Rookie

Seasons

Career Earnings thru 2024

Earnings w/ Different Teams

Earnings Per Year

Earnings Per Team

Earnings Per Team

Injuries

Calculated Market Value

Market Value

Current Contract

Comparable Players

Base Calculated Value

Statistical Comparisons

Calculated Market Value: Sam Darnold

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