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THE Minnesota Vikings signed multiple players, including a veteran quarterback, after the team’s disappointing Wild Card round playoff loss.
The Vikings‘ signal-caller addition comes after Sam Darnold experienced his worst game of the 2024 season against the Los Angeles Rams, throwing an interception and allowing to be sacked nine times in Monday’s defeat.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell watches quarterback Sam Darnold warm up before the team’s NFL Wild Card playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams[/caption]
The Vikings lost 27-9 to the Rams in disappointing fashion, and the team has signed a veteran quarterback as Darnold’s future in Minnesota appears cloudy[/caption]
On Wednesday, Minnesota announced they signed 13 players to reserve/future contracts for 2025.
Among the additions is 28-year-old Brett Rypien, who spent the regular season with the Vikings.
The 2019 undrafted free agent was signed by the Kevin O’Connell-led team in late August and was the regular season third-string quarterback on the 53-man roster behind Darnold.
Ahead of the Minnesota playoff game, Rypien was waived on January 7 to make room for Daniel Jones.
He was brought back to the practice squad two days later and he’ll now be part of the franchise’s 90-man roster when the new league year begins in March.
The Vikings will only have Rypien and 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy on the books for the 2025 campaign.
Darnold, Mullens, and Jones are scheduled to hit free agency if the team doesn’t re-sign one or some before the important mid-March date.
All eyes will be on Darnold, who led the team to a 14-3 record and threw 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The 27-year-old is the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year favorite, but his stellar play came crashing down in Minnesota’s two biggest games of the season.
Darnold completed 18-of-41 passes for 166 yards in the Vikings’ Week 18 regular-season finale loss to the Detroit Lions.
A win in that game would’ve secured the No. 1 seed and a bye into the Divisional Round.
Darnold then struggled mightily in the road playoff game versus the Rams, completing 25-of-40 passes, one touchdown, and fumbled on a sack which was returned for a touchdown.
His last two games of the campaign could cost him millions.
However, Darnold is still expected to be pursued by numerous teams and Minnesota could elect to stick with McCarthy, who missed the 2024 season due to a torn meniscus in his right knee.
NFL division round schedule
Sat 18 Jan, 4.30 pm ET (ESPN/ABC) – Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs
Sat 18 Jan, 8 pm ET (Fox) – Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions
Sun 19 Jan, 3 pm ET (NBC) – Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles
Sun 19 Jan, 6.30 pm ET (CBS) – Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
After Monday’s game, O’Connell shared his verdict on assessing Darnold’s playoff performance and overall campaign.
“I just want to say it’s very important we all think about Sam’s body of work, what he was able to do this year, when not many people thought he would be able to lead a team to 14 wins,” he began.
“It did not work out in the end, and I think Sam would be the first one to tell you, could he have played better [last night]? I’m sure he would tell you he could have.
“Could I have coached better? I’m positive I could have.”
Before this season, the 2018 first-round pick Darnold threw 63 passing touchdowns and 56 interceptions.
As for Rypien, he has 10 career appearances in the NFL.
In those games, the Boise State product has recorded 950 passing yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
The other Vikings signings from this week include running back Zavier Scott, linebackers Max Tooley and Gabe Murphy, guard Henry Byrd, tackles Marcellus Johnson and Leroy Watson, wide receivers Lucky Jackson and Thayer Thomas, defensive linemen Jonathan Harris and Travis Bell and cornerbacks Kahlef Hailassie and Reddy Steward.
