The Raiders should soon have more clarity on what it would take to acquire veteran quarterback Sam Darnold.

The Vikings, Darnold’s current team, have to decide by 1 p.m. Tuesday whether to place the franchise tag on him. Otherwise the 27-year-old pending unrestricted free agent will be able to negotiate with other teams March 10.

New Raiders general manager John Spytek did not discuss Darnold or any other veteran quarterback publicly at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis last week. But he made it clear his team will be aggressive this offseason to improve its roster.

“If there’s an opportunity for any player that we think can add value to the Raiders, we’ll look into it.” Spytek said.

Big decision looming

The Vikings face a tough choice with Darnold, who was selected third overall in the 2018 draft by the Jets.

He threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns last season, both career highs, while leading the team to a 14-3 record. But the rest of his resume is uninspiring.

Darnold would cost $40.24 million against the salary cap next season if the Vikings elect to put the franchise tag on him. That’s a hefty raise after he signed a one-year, $10 million contract in Minnesota last offseason, though the two sides would have the opportunity to then work out a long-term deal.

Of course, keeping Darnold around would also complicate the Vikings’ plans for quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury but is expected to be ready to play in 2025. His presence could lead Minnesota to let Darnold walk in free agency.

Another option for the Vikings is tagging Darnold and then attempting to trade him. That would allow them to get a draft pick back, but they would have to be confident another team would be willing to make a deal.

Darnold’s market

Darnold’s potential suitors include the Raiders, Giants, Steelers and Browns.

He would fit in Las Vegas. The Raiders showed a willingness to swing big at the position in their pursuit of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Darnold would be an upgrade over the team’s in-house options in Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell and could still have some upside.

He also comes with concerns.

Darnold’s breakout season with the Vikings came to a screeching halt at the end. He completed 18 of his 41 passes in a Week 18 loss to the Lions that cost Minnesota the top seed in the NFC. Darnold was then sacked nine times and threw an interception the following week in the Vikings’ season-ending playoff loss to the Rams.

Those two clunkers could put a damper on his market.

Two possible comparisons for Darnold are Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith, quarterbacks that were cast aside by multiple teams before finding a good fit later in their careers.

Smith signed a three-year, $75 million contract with the Seahawks in 2023. Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million deal with the Buccaneers last offseason. Darnold could wind up in the same ballpark, but it only takes one desperate team to shake things up.

The Raiders will have a better idea Tuesday of what the bidding process will look like. They’ll either find out whether they need to swing a trade for Darnold, or compete for his services on the open market.

If he goes elsewhere, the team will be forced to turn its attention to other options like Aaron Rodgers or Justin Fields if it wants to bring in a veteran.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at [email protected]. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.