Sam Darnold would be massive gamble for Steelers 

Darnold had an outstanding 2024 season for the Minnesota Vikings, taking the starting job after J.J. McCarthy was lost for the season. Darnold ended up throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns to lead the Vikings to a 14-3 record. It was by far the best season of his career, and could not have been more perfectly timed given his pending free agency. 

He is expected to be the top quarterback option available, and at 27 years old is still at an age where he could theoretically be a long-term solution for a team.

But he also comes with risk, mostly because he has never played at that level at any point in his career.

He is an especially big risk for a team like the Steelers.

Not only will Darnold be well positioned to land a significant contract in free agency, he would be going from an ideal situation for a quarterback to one in Pittsburgh that would be far more challenging.

Minnesota not only had a great offensive scheme under head coach Kevin O'Connell, the lineup was also loaded with playmakers around Darnold, including a pair of No. 1 wide receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. 

The Steelers? They do not have any of that.

While they consistently win nine or 10 games and make the playoffs, they are a defensive, grind-it-out offense that is severely lacking in playmakers. Their offensive philosophy is ancient and outside of George Pickens, they do not have a single impact player anywhere on the offense. That could obviously change this offseason after the draft and free agency, but that would require a lot of work. 

That is a lot of issues and concerns for what it might cost to sign Darnold.

This is the type of situation where both sides would probably be better off without each other. 

The best, most sensible option for the Steelers remains a reunion with Fields. He should be cost-effective, he has familiarity with the team, he still has upside, and he helped the Steelers to a 4-2 record early in the 2024 season. He also provides the mobility that head coach Mike Tomlin has talked about wanting in his quarterback. It would also still give them the salary cap flexibility to beef up the roster around him. 

Darnold at the expected salary he would get would likely limit that.