Sports
Sam Darnold Free Agency Landing Spots: Five Possible Team Fits
Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images A quality NFL starting quarterback? For most of the year, Sam Darnold looked the part—right up until he didn’t.
Remnants of Darnold’s frigid finish are difficult to forget, pooled around him like a moat because of the significance of the two losses to Minnesota, resulting from his ice-cold performances.
After 13 games with a passer rating of 100-plus and 14 wins in his first 16 games with the Vikings, Darnold crashed in the winner-take-all regular-season finale at Detroit for the NFC North title. He completed 18 of 41 passes (43.9%) and averaged 4.05 yards per pass with a 55.5 passer rating. Rather than the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, the 14-win Vikings packed for a wild-card road game against NFC West winner Los Angeles (in Arizona). Playoff Sam wasn’t much better: 25 of 40 and sacked nine times.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell proclaimed the Vikings would welcome Darnold back and attempted a public-facing defense of Darnold’s nosedive, advising the public to assess the quarterback on his body of work in the 2024 season.
Reality is, Darnold lost a significant amount of money in those two spotlight games and enters free agency in complete turmoil. Teams will view the body of work as one thing, and his showing under the burden of playoff pressure as an unforgettable truth.
Can Darnold win games in the NFL? Certainly. Will he win when it matters? Ehhhhhh.
The best paths forward for Darnold are those without the guarantee of a No. 1 job. He could do well in the role he was signed by the Vikings to fill: bridge quarterback and mentor for first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
Starter money disappeared in Detroit, and whatever was left went up in flames in Arizona against the Rams.
Here are five teams that could dial up Darnold as a stopgap in 2025.
1. Tennessee Titans
Aug 25, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of the Tennessee Titans helmet against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Nobody expects the Titans to torpedo the AFC South after posting the league’s worst record in 2024. And nobody knows if Will Levis will get another chance to prove he can handle the rigors of the position at this level. Darnold looked capable of helping Tennessee with a 3-0 record against the division last season and a win over the Titans in Nashville. He’d be aligned with another coach from the Sean McVay coaching tree—Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, O’Connell in Minnesota—with Brian Callahan, who helped develop Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.
2. Cleveland Browns
Dec 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski during the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Kevin Stefanski took the Browns to the playoffs with Joe Flacco fresh from the couch in 2023. With a fortified offensive line, Darnold could hold up well until Cleveland has a better option. But he’s more of a controlled, anticipatory passer who benefited from indoor environs in Minnesota. He doesn’t have the rocket-launcher throwing arm of Flacco or Jameis Winston or the mobility to do much outside the pocket.
3. Indianapolis Colts
Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) runs past the tackle of Denver Broncos defensive tackle Malcolm Roach (97) in the second quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images This isn’t a perfect fit, considering the Colts designed an offense for a 6-foot-4, 250-pound quarterback who is a vastly better runner than passer in Anthony Richardson. But GM Chris Ballard promised competition, and the 2025 draft needs to be about playmakers, pass rush and offensive line help.
4. New York Giants
Jan 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll walks onto the field after loss to Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Brian Daboll can make it work with a play-action passer. Darnold on a no-promises contract would at least give the Giants options entering the draft.
5. New York Jets
Nov 10, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) passes against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images New coach Aaron Glenn authored the Week 18 game plan—then as Lions defensive coordinator—that resulted in Darnold’s free agency demise. But Darnold nearly got the best of him in a 31-29 loss to the Lions on Oct. 20.
Sports
Marlins' Class A pitcher fails drug test, suspended 80 games
Sep 11, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; A general view of a illuminated Miami Marlins logo in center field after the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies split a double header at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Miami Marlins minor league pitcher Eiver Mosquera has received an 80-game suspension for testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance.
This season with Class-A Jupiter and the rookie-level Florida Complex League Marlins in 12 games (nine starts), the 19-year-old was 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA, 30 strikeouts and 16 walks in 38 innings.
Mosquera joined the organization in 2024 as a $150,000 international signing out of Venezuela.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NYCFC focusing on Fire, not player's demand, fan reaction
Sep 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC midfielder a(7) brings the ball up the pitch against Charlotte FC during the second half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Their leading goal scorer wants out of town and their goalkeeper is public enemy No. 1 after a costly gaffe during the World Cup played a key role in the United States losing to Belgium in the round of 16.
But New York City FC is still relying on Nicolas Fernandez Mercau and Matt Freese for big contributions Saturday night when the Chicago Fire invade Yankee Stadium.
Fernandez Mercau scored his 11th goal on a penalty kick Wednesday night during a 2-1 win at Columbus that got NYCFC (6-6-4, 22 points) to .500. It came one day after reports that the club rejected an $18 million offer for his services, leading to his demand that the team transfer him.
“You see a player that is performing for and with his team with a lot of energy,” head coach Pascal Jansen said of Fernandez Mercau. “That’s what he’s supposed to do.”
Freese, whose whiffed clearing attempt led to a third goal for Belgium in a 4-1 win on July 6, was booed on every touch Wednesday. Despite the jeers, he made three saves in the team’s first fixture after the World Cup break.
Meanwhile, Chicago (8-5-2, 26 points) sits third in the East table despite a 3-2 loss Wednesday night at Inter Miami. The result snapped the Fire’s three-match winning streak.
Chicago opted not to stand pat during the summer transfer window, adding Robert Lewandowski from Barcelona on a two-year deal. The 37-year-old Lewandowski, the captain of Poland’s national team, started at Miami and played 63 minutes.
“After just two days with my new team, I didn’t expect everything to work perfectly in my first game,” Lewandowski said.
Lewandowski’s signing led to the departure of star striker Hugo Cuypers. The Fire sold him to LIGA MX’s Monterrey for a reported $7.5 million after he scored 40 goals in 75 league matches over the past 2 1/2 seasons. Cuypers scored 13 goals in 11 matches this season, tying Dallas’ Petar Musa for the league lead.
NYCFC is 3-0-2 in its last five matches against Chicago.
–Field Level Media
Sports
CF Montreal acquire Brayan Ceballos from Revs for up to $850K GAM
Mar 15, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Revolution forward Luca Langoni (41) congratulates defender Brayan Ceballos (3) after he scored his second goal during the first half against the FC Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images The New England Revolution traded defender Brayan Ceballos to CF Montreal on Friday in exchange for up to $850,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM).
The payments were divided into $500,000 in 2026 GAM, $250,000 in 2027 GAM and up to $100,000 in conditional GAM. The Revs also retained a percentage of Ceballos’ sell-on rights should he be transferred again.
“Brayan is a reliable and versatile defender who can play effectively in a variety of systems, making him an important addition to our roster,” Luca Saputo, Montreal’s managing director for recruitment and sporting methodology, said in a statement. “His strengths will complement those already present in our defensive unit. We are confident that he will contribute to our collective objectives as well as the team’s development.”
Ceballos, 25, came to the Revolution from Brazil’s Fortaleza EC in January 2025. He had three goals in 38 career games (37 starts) for the Revs, with two of those goals coming in one game this season, March 15 against Cincinnati.
“We are grateful to Brayan for all his contributions during his time in New England. We wish him all the best in Montreal,” Revolution general manager Chris Tierney said in a statement. “As we look to continue improving the first team, generating this significant amount of allocation money will allow us to continue investing in the roster in the future.”
–Field Level Media
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