“Spielman’s presence in the front office is sure to spark Kirk Cousins speculation,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini wrote on February 10. “As the Minnesota Vikings’ GM, Spielman signed Cousins to a huge free agent deal in 2018. Cousins, who enjoyed his most productive years in Minnesota, is likely to be cut or traded by the Atlanta Falcons in the coming weeks.

His preseason torn meniscus scuttled those plans and Darnold went on to have a great and surprising year. There are no guarantees that Darnold would be able to repeat his success in 2025, and if the Vikings were to bring him back, his $10 million salary would likely rise to the $35-40 million level.