After a career renaissance with the Vikings, Sam Darnold is set to hit free agency. Will he take the starting reins for the Steelers or Giants? Serve as competition for Anthony Richardson on the Colts?

The Minnesota Vikings went from a Super Bowl contending, 14-game winner playing for the NFC North title with the conference's No. 1 seed and a wild-card bye on the line -- before Week 18's 31-9 defeat by the Detroit Lions -- to an early playoff exit because of a 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

While a tag-and-trade situation with Darnold and the Vikings could always be in the works, Minnesota might be better off just letting him walk and snagging a good compensatory pic