NFL teams in need of a quarterback are reportedly reluctant when it comes to the idea of signing Sam Darnold in free agency.

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Darnold's "poor play" over the Minnesota Vikings' final two games of the season "scared" teams that may have otherwise considered signing him.

Howe added that Darnold was once viewed as the top free agent available and a lock to land a contract worth over $40 million per year, but that may no longer be the case.

Darnold, 27, was originally the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft by the New York Jets, and it looked for quite some time like he was a bust.

Over his three seasons in New York, Darnold went 13-25 and completed just 59.8 percent of his passes for 8.097 yards, 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions.

Things didn't get any better for him during a two-year stint with the Carolina Panthers, as he went 8-9 as a starter and completed 59.5 percent of his passing attempts for 3,670 yards, 16 touchdowns and 16 picks.

After one season as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers, the Vikings signed Darnold as a potential reclamation project and one-year replacement for Kirk Cousins, who left to sign with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.

Once rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy was ruled out for the season due to a knee injury suffered during the preseason, Darnold entered the 2024 campaign as Minnesota's starter.

He proceeded to far exceed expectations by leading the Vikes to a 14-3 record and setting new career marks by completing 66.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns to go along with 12 interceptions.

Everything went well for Darnold and the Vikings until the final game of the regular season when they faced the Detroit Lions with the NFC North title and a first-round playoff bye on the line.

The Lions were dominant in a 31-9 victory, and Darnold struggled mightily, going 18-of-41 for 166 yards with no touchdowns or picks.

That set up a first-round playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, and it led to another one-sided loss for Minnesota.

In a 27-9 defeat, Darnold went 25-of-40 for 245 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and he was sacked nine times and lost a fumble.

While the Vikings could still re-sign Darnold, those showings may compel them to go all in on McCarthy as their starter next season.

If that happens, it is fair to wonder which teams would be willing to take a chance on Darnold in free agency.

The Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders and Jets are among the teams with an obvious need at quarterback, but all of them are picking in the top seven of the 2025 NFL draft, so they may be more inclined to take a chance on a rookie such as Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders.

A team picking further down like the Pittsburgh Steelers or Indianapolis Colts could be an option, but it will likely come down to cost and term.

There is undoubtedly risk involved with signing Darnold, but he did a lot more good than bad in 2024, and he is still only 27 years old, so it is possible that his best football is ahead of him.