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Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold throws a pass.
The Seattle Seahawks made one of the biggest gambles of the offseason by trading QB Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders to clear the way to sign former first-round pick Sam Darnold in free agency as their starting quarterback.
After years of disappointing numbers and win totals during his time with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, Darnold finally put it all together for a career year in Minnesota.
This up-and-down start to his career has one NFL writer believing that Darnold is one of the most fascinating players in the league entering the 2025 season.
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold Named the 10th Most Intriguing Player in the League Entering the 2025 NFL Season
Many NFL fans have more questions than answers surrounding Seahawks QB Sam Darnold entering his first year in Seattle. Well, Mike Jones of The Athletic has those questions about the USC product, which is why he named the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft as the tenth most intriguing player in the league entering the 2025 NFL season.
“Darnold orchestrated a career revival last season in Minnesota, where he played at an MVP level and helped the Vikings post their most successful season since 1998,” wrote Jones. “The No. 3 pick of the 2018 draft fizzled in the postseason but still parlayed his overall success into a three-year, $100.5 million contract with Seattle. Can he continue his ascension and ignite a stagnant Seahawks offense that also parted with receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and signed the reliable Cooper Kupp? Or will Darnold revert to the turnover-prone form that he exhibited with the Jets and Panthers?”
Perhaps Darnold is one of those players who simply can’t shake the stigma of being a failed New York Jets quarterback — just like Las Vegas Raiders QB Geno Smith — but Darnold’s 2024 season was truly outstanding.
Darnold’s 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns to go with a 14-3 starting record put him in the fringe MVP conversation. Unfortunately, most of this breakout year was dismissed after a rough performance in the season finale against the Detroit Lions and a tough loss against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round, but generating these numbers on a winning football team feels irresponsible to completely overlook.
Darnold was deserving of the contract he received in free agency this offseason, but it appears he will need to have similar success outside of the Kevin O’Connell offensive scheme to receive the credit he deserves.
Does Sam Darnold’s Contract Suggest This is a One-Year Tryout for the Franchise QB Role in Seattle?
On the surface, Darnold’s three-year deal worth up to $100.5 million suggests the team is committed to him as their franchise quarterback. Yet, when Nick Shook of NFL.com took a closer look at the details of the deal, he believes this contract is a calculated risk for the 2025 NFL season.
“The calculated part, though, shows in Darnold’s contract,” wrote Shook. “If the veteran can’t produce at an acceptable level in his first season in Seattle, the Seahawks can cut him (after June 1) and save $27.5 million of his $33.9 million cap number in 2026 — giving themselves an exit plan if they need one.”
Considering Darnold’s lengthy track record of failure in the NFL, it is understandable that the Seahawks gave themselves a way to get out of the deal in short order if Darnold reverts back to his previous level of play.
Ultimately, the Seahawks took a risk on Darnold being the version the league saw in 2024 by trading away Smith. Only time will tell if this move was the right one for the franchise.
Derek Tate covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Heavy.com from 2022 to 2023. His bylines include Pro Football Network, The Athletic, Dr. Roto, Fantasy Focused and NewsNet. More about Derek Tate
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