What Vikings' Sam Darnold improved after failed Jets, Panthers stints

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold recently acknowledged he "could have played better" while with the New York Jets from the opening night of the 2018 NFL Draft through the 2020 season.

Kevin Seifert of ESPN detailed how Darnold worked on "keeping his head still and his eyes on the target" to become arguably the most valuable player of the 2024 campaign's opening month.

"When I was a young player," Darnold explained, "I would throw and look up at the ball immediately. I think for me, it's about finishing through the target , keeping my eyes on him, and then if I do want to track the ball, which is natural for me, I can do that. But I really want to make sure I finish through my target, especially on those deep balls, to be able to guide the football as much as I can, all the way through the fingertips."

Darnold endured more lows than highs with the Jets until they traded him to the Carolina Panthers in the spring of 2021. He ultimately completed two forgettable seasons with Carolina before signing a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2023.

He quickly impressed those covering the 49ers with his arm talent but spent most of his single season with the club as a backup behind starter Brock Purdy. Months after the Vikings signed Darnold this past offseason, he openly discussed how he "learned so much" while working with Purdy and San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Those lessons, coupled with Darnold's work ethic, resulted in the 27-year-old becoming a revelation with Minnesota after rookie J.J. McCarthy required a complete meniscus repair. According to Pro Football Reference, Darnold began Friday leading the NFL among qualified players with a 118.9 passer rating, ranked third in the league with a 74.0 adjusted QBR and tied for first with 11 touchdown passes on the season.

Darnold added that his often-praised deep-ball accuracy "was kind of something I struggled with early on" and is a portion of his game he will "continue to work on" under Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. If Darnold continues to improve under O'Connell, rumblings about the Vikings possibly sticking with the third overall pick of the 2018 draft beyond this season will only grow louder.

Darnold and the 4-0 Vikings face the 2-2 New York Jets in London this Sunday.