Souhan: There’s no rush to decide Sam Darnold’s future with the Vikings

Former Jets coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan was aghast. Monday morning, right there on the television, he said the Vikings would be silly not to immediately sign Sam Darnold to a large contract.

That argument produces a powerful emotional undertow.

How could the Vikings delay in rewarding Darnold for producing one of the least-expected great quarterback seasons of all time? How could they let Darnold stew about his future? How could the Vikings not ensure the future of their most important position by acting quickly?

Like an ocean’s undertow, the emotional undertow of these arguments can pull you helplessly out to sea.

If I had to decide today whether to keep Darnold, I’d sign him.

But that decision doesn’t need to be made today.

The last Minnesota general manager to win a big-league title in an established men’s professional sports league was Andy MacPhail. He put together the 1987 and 1991 Twins World Series champions.

In one of my first long talks with MacPhail, he said something like this:

“Never make a decision before you have to. Things change quickly.”

The Vikings have proof.

Remember when the Vikings “had” to re-sign Randall Cunningham after his brilliant 1998 season?

He got benched on Oct. 17, 1999.

Remember when the Vikings “had” to keep Case Keenum, who led them to a 13-3 record and the NFC title game?

Keenum is 10-18 since then.

That’s not to say that Darnold, Cunningham and Keenum are the same player, or faced similar circumstances.

Cunningham had a great year in a great offense in 1998, but keeping him meant letting Brad Johnson go. Johnson would win a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay a few years later. Cunningham played well in 1998, but he wasn’t the primary reason for that team’s success.

Keenum played well situationally in 2017, but that team won because of a No. 1-ranked defense and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s ability to squeeze first downs out of a limited offense.

Darnold in 2024 is better than Cunningham in 1998 or Keenum in 2017. He has made every play, every throw, you would want an outstanding NFL quarterback to make.

That doesn’t mean the Vikings should start negotiating with him right now.

Keenum was playing well in 2017 … until the last six quarters of the playoffs, when the Vikings needed a miracle play to beat New Orleans at home, then were destroyed in Philadelphia.

Cunningham was playing well, until that great offense scored just seven second-half points in the NFC title game.

Darnold’s story is wonderful, but he hasn’t written the final chapter.

He has earned his accolades, and has earned the chance to be a starter next season. He may be the next Baker Mayfield, a former No. 1 pick who has become a force in Tampa.

Darnold has also benefited from an ideal situation. He has one of the best offensive coaches and play-callers in the league, in Kevin O’Connell. He has one of the best receivers in the game, in Justin Jefferson, who has been willing to play decoy frequently without complaint. The team Darnold leads has remained remarkably healthy all season, with the notable exception of left tackle Christian Darrisaw.

And Darnold has gotten to ride the wave of unexpected success, which is far different than dealing with the pressure of a large contract and heightened expectations.

This is the point in the conversation where a savvy, veteran general manager would say, “The Vikings will probably wind up signing Darnold, but what’s the rush?”

Why not see how Darnold handles a big game in Detroit and then the playoffs?

Kirk Cousins looked like a transformed player and leader in 2022 … until he lost a home playoff game to the Giants, while throwing a check-down on the fourth-down play that sealed it.

Darnold might be the Vikings’ future quarterback, but the team has every reason to gather as much information as possible before making that decision.

And the information gathered in January might be more important that anything gathered to date.