It's Time For Sam Darnold To Channel His Inner Case Keenum

If you wanted to give the Minnesota Vikings' offseason a nickname, “The Summer of Sam” is an excellent place to start.

Yes, the Vikings entered the offseason discussing Kirk Cousins’ contract and selecting J.J. McCarthy as the franchise’s future quarterback. But between the discussions about the past and the future sat Darnold, Minnesota’s present.

Darnold’s tenure as an NFL starter hasn’t gone well. However, all the discussions about infrastructure and coaching trees will go out the window when the Vikings travel to face the New York Giants on Sunday. For a quarterback like Darnold, there’s only one thing left to do, and the best approach might be to channel his inner Case Keenum.

The Vikings signed Keenum in the spring of 2017. Coming off an 8-8 season, the fanbase had low expectations, and Keenum wasn’t expected to have a big role as the backup to starting quarterback Sam Bradford.

Bradford was on fire during his first training camp in Minnesota and produced one of the best starts by a quarterback in recent Vikings history, flaming the New Orleans Saints for 346 yards and three touchdowns in a Week 1 victory. But Bradford’s bum knee forced him to the sidelines, and the Vikings turned to Keenum to keep things afloat.

Keenum was in a unique situation. He didn’t know he would regain his starting job when Bradford limped out of a Week 5 game against the Chicago Bears. Still, he knew his relationship with the Vikings was more of a one-night stand than a peaceful marriage.

After losing two of his first three starts, Keenum found a groove. The growing pains subsided, and Keenum played loose, throwing for 2,652 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in the final 11 regular-season games, leading Minnesota to a division title.

Mike Zimmer thought Keenum was playing with a horseshoe in his back pocket, but there were advantages to his carefree attitude. Keenum knew he had nothing to lose, and it gave the 2017 Vikings the right plays at the right moments, including the

The memories weren’t enough for the Vikings to keep Keenum around, and he signed a two-year, $36 million contract with the Denver Broncos in the offseason. But it was enough to keep his career from teetering over the edge; he’s played for five teams over the past seven seasons.

The following year, there was another example 400 miles south of Minneapolis. The Kansas City Chiefs had drafted Patrick Mahomes, but they knew he wasn’t ready to play immediately. Alex Smith entered 2018 as a lame-duck quarterback but had one of the best years of his career, throwing for 4,042 yards, 26 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

After a 12-win season, the New England Patriots bounced the Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs. But like Keenum, Smith extended his career, signing a four-year, $94 million contract with the Washington Commanders.

The same situation even came for greats such as Aaron Rodgers. The Green Bay Packers drafted Jordan Love as their franchise savior in the 2020 draft as Rodgers’ time in Green Bay appeared to be nearing the end.

Aided by a year where teams played games in empty stadiums, a 37-year-old Rodgers made his last stand. He threw for 4,299 yards, a career-high 48 touchdowns, and just five interceptions while winning the Most Valuable Player Award. A second MVP campaign in 2021 showed he had plenty left in the tank and bought himself another year before Green Bay traded him to the New York Jets.

Then, there was Baker Mayfield, the patron saint of journeymen quarterbacks. Mayfield appeared to have his final opportunity as a starter after flaming out with the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers. However, he threw for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while making his first Pro Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Mayfield cashed in with a three-year, $100 million contract in free agency and appears to be Tampa’s quarterback for the foreseeable future.

While Darnold isn’t likely to get that contract with the Vikings, he finds himself in a similar situation to the players above. Except for the Buccaneers, each of those teams made a move that signaled the end of their players’ time with those teams, and each had an adequate response that extended their careers.

For Darnold, it makes the 2024 season more important than ever. Fans and national analysts still have the Darnold who was “seeing ghosts” stuck in their heads. Even a modest start in the 2023 season finale with the San Francisco 49ers wasn’t enough to inspire confidence that Darnold was the right guy for the job.

The Vikings view Darnold as a reclamation project to show off their infrastructure, and Darnold has had to drink from a fire hose as he digests Kevin O’Connell’s offense. That information has been difficult for more accomplished quarterbacks such as Cousins and even a rocket scientist like Joshua Dobbs. It could mean that Darnold will be overwhelmed early in his tenure.

But for all the play calls, protections, and everything else, this might be the simplest message O’Connell could relay to his quarterback. While Darnold’s composure may be a work in progress, the Vikings believe in his physical talent and confidence.

"I think his teammates are really confident in him," O’Connell told reporters on Tuesday. "Not just the physical side of things from throwing the ball and his ability to be accurate, his ability to push the ball downfield [and] make great decisions within the rhythm and timing of the play, but I think it’s just that comfort of the work he’s put in. I expect him to go out and just execute the offense and play well, and with his skill set, I think Sam’s going to be in a good spot.”

This is why Keenum may be the best example for Darnold. Keenum didn’t have Darnold's physical talent, but he played loose. Sometimes, that worked to his advantage. Other times, it was his downfall. However, the more good things that happened, the more things pieced themselves together, allowing Keenum to extend a career that may have been on the ropes.

That’s what fans will be watching with Darnold on Sunday, and it’s up to the 27-year-old to put all the discussions aside and play football.