The Minnesota Vikings have a dilemma at the quarterback position.

As Sam Darnold, signed last offseason as a stopgap option, develops into a full-fledged NFL MVP candidate, Minnesota’s future with JJ McCarthy, last year’s 10th pick, is suddenly uncertain.

If the Vikings wanted to enter into trade talks for the 21-year-old, who missed his potential rookie season after suffering a torn meniscus in the preseason, they could reportedly stand to gain quite a bit.

“There are rumors that JJ could bring three draft picks, including, by the way, the No. 1 overall pick,” said ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. (mark 6:40) during a practice draft session with Field Yates of ESPN. “Okay, that’s under discussion because it could be a possibility.”

That would admittedly be quite a challenge, and one Minnesota would have to consider if it is fully confident that Sam Darnold can be its franchise quarterback.

But the Vikings can’t have that level of trust in Darnold already, can they?

Admittedly, he had an objectively great season. He led the team to 14 wins while setting a number of career highs, including 4,319 passing yards (fifth overall) and 35 passing touchdowns (also fifth).

However, these numbers were not just new personal bests. They completely destroyed Darnold’s previous top marks in the categories: 3,024 passing yards and 19 passing touchdowns. Not exactly franchise quarterback-level production, right?

Look, maybe it took longer than expected for the stars to align, and this former draft bust has suddenly figured out how to take advantage of the skills that once defined the third overall pick (by the New York Jets, if you remember just a little). of the 2018 draft. But does a single season really change a player’s position in the NFL hierarchy?

But that doesn’t mean the Vikings should completely reject what Darnold is doing now just because he hasn’t done those things before. However, you can’t automatically assume that this is his new normal. At least not yet.

Minnesota needs more time to figure that out. Darnold definitely deserves to bounce back with this squad, but keep in mind that giving him that chance could be quite costly. He’s heading into free agency following the Vikings’ playoff run and will be, in the words of their offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, “a guy in demand.”

By the way, that’s probably an understatement.

Virtually every team with questions about the quarterback spot says they are taking a long look at Darnold. He is without question the best free agent at the position. Not to mention, evaluators seem pretty disappointed with the quarterback class in this draft. McCarthy would be considered the “No. 1 quarterback” if he was in this class, multiple executives and coaches told Jeff Howe of The Athletic.

That’s why McCarthy’s potential is paramount to Minnesota’s conversations about Darnold. If the Vikings believe he can be their quarterback of the future — and their 2024 draft investment strongly suggests so — then they can’t bring Darnold back on a long-term deal.

Now, a short-term agreement, such as perhaps using the franchise tag on Darnold, could be best for everyone involved. The Vikings wouldn’t have to choose between the quarterback they just drafted at No. 10 overall and the quarterback who just earned their second-most wins in franchise history. McCarthy would have no obstacle blocking his path indefinitely. And while Darnold believes there are some good offers in free agency, he would exceed them if he were to return to the open market with another campaign of this quality next season.

Granted, there’s no telling whether Darnold would be happy with such an agreement, but if he’s looking for a longer, more rewarding contract, the Vikings should let him go to someone else.

They gave McCarthy a premium draft pick for a reason, and it wasn’t to make him a trade chip a year later. He’s supposed to be a foundational talent for the franchise, and they shouldn’t stray from that dream regardless of what Darnold has done.