Former USC Trojans quarterback named NFL starter ahead of training camp

Much of the NFL hype surrounds former USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams this coming season. However, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is not the only former USC signal-caller in the NFC North. On Wednesday, the Minnesota Vikings named Sam Darnold as their starting quarterback.

Darnold signed a one-year deal with the Vikings following a year as Brock Purdy's backup with the San Francisco 49ers. Minnesota offers Darnold his best starting quarterback opportunity since he departed USC for the 2018 NFL Draft.

Sam Darnold was set up for failure in the NFL.

Few pro franchises have been as dysfunctional as the New York Jets over the past few decades. Thus, many USC fans expected the worse when the Jets drafted Sam Darnold with the third-overall pick. There is also an argument that he left the Trojans a year too soon.

Nevertheless, the Jets made Darnold the youngest starting quarterback since the NFL-AFL merger in September 2018. The former four-star high school recruit made notable plays but often appeared unprepared and overwhelmed as a Jet. What's worse is the Jets replaced Todd Bowles with Adam Gase during the 2018 offseason.

Adam Gase was an unmitigated disaster as the Jets head coach. As such, Darnold made little progress as a pro signal caller. The Jets traded Darnold to a worse franchise, the Carolina Panthers, before the 2021 season. He showed some promise early in his Carolina tenure but was ultimately unable to carry a team depleted of pro bowl caliber players.

How long will Darnold be Minnesota's starting quarterback?

Sam Darnold is familiar with Kevin O'Connell's offense in Minnesota and offers the Vikings a veteran presence who will fill some of the void left by Kirk Cousins. However, the USC alum was not brought to Minnesota for the long term.

Darnold will serve as the Vikings' bridge to rookie J.J. McCarthy. As such, curiosity surrounding Minnesota regards McCarthy's progress toward QB1 snaps.

It is reasonable to expect McCarthy to earn the starting job before the end of the 2024 season, but Minnesota has no urgency to rush him along. The Vikings are transitioning in the post-Cousins era, saddled with significant dead cap money. McCarthy is among the NFL's youngest rookies; thus, speeding up his QB1 timeline is potentially counterproductive.

For now, Darnold must focus on his current role and make the best of the opportunity to throw passes to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Darnold has enough playmakers around him to lead the Vikings on a surprise run to the NFL playoffs.