Sam Darnold, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, is likely to evade the franchise tag as the team seeks to re-sign him without such a designation. After a standout season under coach Kevin O'Connell, Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-win record and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. However, he struggled in the playoffs, prompting the Vikings to draft J.J. McCarthy for the future. Darnold's impressive training camp performance positioned him as a contender for the Week 1 starter role, particularly after McCarthy suffered a significant injury.