Who saw this kind of campaign coming together for Sam Darnold? Maybe not even the quarterback himself.

He was a draft bust for the New York Jets, then a failed reclamation project for the Carolina Panthers. He backed up Brock Purdy in San Francisco last season, then headed to the Gopher State to handle bridge-quarterback duties for however long rookie first-rounder J.J. McCarthy needed to develop.

Yet, something clicked for Darnold in Minnesota, to the point the Vikings are legitimate title contenders and he’s at least a down-ballot MVP candidate. His stat line is a seemingly endless string of personal-bests, including his 4,153 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns and 68.1 completion percentage.

The question for would-be suitors, of course, is whether this success is sustainable. And do the Vikings think this is sustainable and therefore consider already rethinking their future with McCarthy? If the market is skeptical of Darnold—i.e., unwilling to hand him a blank check—there might be a middle ground where Minnesota gives him a sizable contract but leaves itself enough wiggle room that McCarthy isn’t immediately forced out of the plans.