With today’s decision to trade veteran quarterback Geno Smith to Las Vegas, the Seahawks have shifted their focus at the quarterback position. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Vikings pending free agent passer Sam Darnold is the new target to lead the offense in Seattle in 2025. 
Darnold’s market has been a rollercoaster so far this offseason. After a 2024 season in which Darnold stepped into the starting role in Minnesota and led the Vikings to competition for the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC with a 14-3 record, recording career highs in passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (35) while only throwing 12 picks, Darnold’s career performance in a contract year presumably set him up for a lucrative venture into free agency. With Darnold and the Vikings becoming the surprise of the season last year, the expectation was that his value as a free agent would skyrocket as a result.
The Raiders had made it known, after failing to acquire Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford via trade, that they were only willing to shell out serious cash for Stafford, dashing any hopes that Darnold may find his way there as a high-paid free agent. Any potential that the Raiders may backtrack on that decision was squashed with the acquisition of Smith out of Seattle. With the Titans and Giants trending towards quarterback prospects Cam Ward of Miami and Shedeur Sanders of Colorado and the Vikings seemingly fully ready for J.J. McCarthy to take the reins, Darnold’s options were looking slim. A new vacancy at the position in Seattle opens the door for a new potential destination for Darnold in 2025.
Darnold has a connection to Seattle in the form of new Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Though the 2023 season was one of Darnold’s least active, the campaign saw the backup quarterback work in the same offense as Kubiak in San Francisco, where the latter served the year as passing game coordinator. A familiar face on the coaching staff may be enough help Darnold find his way to Seattle.
Something that may make Seattle slightly less attractive as a destination is the recent departure of veteran receiver Tyler Lockett combined with D.K. Metcalf‘s recent trade request. The receiving corps is still home to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who broke out in his sophomore campaign last year, but behind Smith-Njigba, the top returning receivers are Jake Bobo and, likely, Cody White, a pending exclusive rights free agent.
What’s likely to become the deciding factor for a move to land Darnold will be Seattle’s willingness to take him on with a multi-year deal. Per Russini, Darnold is seeking some modest commitment with a three-year contract. If the Seahawks are willing to meet that demand, it could be an easy decision for both sides.
Have they not looked at Sam’s full resume? Plus having Jefferson really helps!
Resume is being kind, it’s more of an obituary.
Does he still see ghosts? Belichick owned him w/ the Jets.
Oh yes. I think a Vikes fan said he had Beattlejuice eyes against Detroit in the last regular season game. LOL
Nothing a little blocking by the O line could have helped….almost every snap he had max 2 seconds to read…react…and run for his life….let’s see you thrive under that kind of pressure…the Lions defense had a field day against the Viking offense fueled by a ferocious pass rush….no halftime adjustments either by McConnell….hung Darnold out to dry….
I’m not an NFL QB, Darnold is. However, I agree about the lack of halftime adjustments. Minny got a bit cute too, going for it a couple of times on 4th down, but that’s for another discussion.
@ROCKY- I went back and watched the 12 minute condensed version of the game and this is not accurate. When Detroit sent 6 or 7, then yeah, he had 2 seconds max, but that’s up to him to read that and get the ball out. He continuously tried to scramble out of that and failed and even missed a wide open receiver or two when 1 on 1 coverage was blown.
He had plenty of opportunities of 3 or more seconds. Given the average TTT, that’s not a bad thing. Idk how long you expect him to get a clean pocket for. Darnold was bad, bad, bad this game. I recommend going back and watching it and accounting for the number of rushers. There were MANY 6 man blitzes that Darnold didn’t see coming. That’s on him, not his OL, especially if there’s no TE or RB blocking help.
This. Many times there was time, an open receiver, and Sam threw inaccurate. It was a real bad QB game.
Have you ever played QB….I did and 2 seconds isn’t enough time for your first read….and again…not giving the Lions D enough credit including the secondary that completely blankets the receivers Darnold might have had 3 seconds to find….this game was a total collapse all around on Minny and Darnold shouldn’t have to be the tail of the Donkey….where were any adjustments by McConnell….there were none….so again I beg to differ…
And as previously mentioned, your assessment is inaccurate. He had plenty of opportunities more than 2 seconds. On the year, Darnold’s TTT was 3.08 seconds, which was near the top of the league.
I implore you to read my original comment because you skirted around everything to continue to spread a false narrative. Stats don’t lie. Check the week 17 next gen stats. You can beg to differ all you want it just means you’re being willfully ignorant about the situation.
Smith-Njigba might end up being just as good in the next few years, but the other stuff including the play caller is not the same in Seattle. This is one of those moves if it goes down like this that will get everybody fired in a year or two.
Typical uneducated comments here.
If we draft a QB and get Sam darnold I’m ok, but Mike McDonald is not Kevin O’Connell so if he get Sam we can’t expect him to do as well
We can only hope that he doesn’t revert back to the New York and Carolina days
Clinton Kubiak will be calling the offense. He was hired to take that role. Mcdonald focus will be on defense.
What is the plan for Minnesota? Especially with the having no clue when and if they’ll even see what they have in JJ. I can’t imagine they’d just let Darnold walk.
Read somewhere today, bring back Cousins. Interesting idea. Atlanta is paying him anyways.
There’s no path out of Atlanta for Cousins, unless he’s willing to hand back some of the gold in those golden handcuffs the Falcons have him in. Can’t see Cousins buying himself out, nor Minnesota paying for him.
There is absolutely an out of Atlanta. They have paid him the majority of the money they owe him. It doesn’t mean he will be back in MN but it is not a lock he will be in ATL either.
JJ looks like a skinny pimplefaced kid not a NFL QB ready….he had the luxury of a Michigan team that might be better than the current Giants NFL team…lol…letting Darnold walk may waste the best WR in today’s game…..
Not sure about this news. MacDonald comes from a run first organization (Ravens). Smith gone, Lockett gone, Metcalf probably gone. Emphasizing a run first offense with a Howell type as a game manager until they get their version of a Lamar or Jayden Daniels runner/thrower type?
If true and the Seahawks are going after Darold…..do you seriously think that their HC is going to employ a run first offense…..it’s highly possible that Metcalf stays…or the Seahawks try and pull off a trade for a WR#1….either way, Darnold isn’t going to get a top dollar contract to hand the ball off 3 times and then punt…….
Well, I don’t think Darnold is going to Seattle. Running the football is not his MO. Eventually MacDonald will get the QB that can run and throw. There is one QB out there now that is that and there are trade rumors. Kyler Murray. Pretty steep salary cap hit but looks doable for Seahawks.
These dopes could have just traded up that year to take Stroud or Young. They took Witherspoon and Jaxson Smith, yes both good but they needed a qb. Now their team is being torn down.
Geno had the great year in 2022. MVP votes even. Seahawks thought had found the future.
A future in a 32yrs old(at that time) journeyman. They were also 9-8, the combo of all that isn’t a bright future.
Coming from the team that signed Matt Flynn after one good game to the contract they did, this shouldn’t be unsurprising
only problem.. the “son’s” will all still be in Minnesota
Better upgrade that o-line because Sam doesn’t handle pressure well.
He was actually a top 10 passer against pressure and the blitz last year.
Just because a team sent a blitz doesn’t mean that it actually pressured the QB.
Rams destroyed Sam… more of the same if he moves in the same division.
– The Rams Forum
WTF? Why would you trade Geno and sign a worse QB for more money? Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
They are the same level…average. Darnold is younger.
Geno is cheaper and Darnold is a product of his roster last season. Darnold will die behind our o-line.
Just start Howell and go 3-14. No Geno, no DK, no more Tyler. This isn’t a roster that is Sam Darnold away from competing.
Tank for Tua! Lol manning. Looks like a great way to get a good qb some devolopment. Josh fields. 3/20. He will operate above Geno.
Why not get Aaron Rodgers at a discount. His stock fell. Josh fields. Howell. Depth.
Because he is worse than Geno and Sam. He has lost his base, can’t use his legs to help him throw properly and his accuracy sucks now because he is arm throwing to much. Accuracy and deep passes do not come from arm strength, it comes from the legs and mechanics. That’s why people talking about a QBs arm strength is questionable at best.
Based on the Jets view. Lol 1 year after a year lost. Crazy! Ok ✅
This isn’t a team that is trying to win next season. Just let Howell play us into a top two draft pick like he did for Washington. No to Darnold. No to Fields. And hell no to Rodgers. None of those guys are Geno upgrades. We are worse than we were last week. I’m sure we will take that third rounder we got for Geno and draft Dee Eskridge.
To think Howell won’t put at close to 500 and out of draft contention is crazy. Lol
Why? One year removed from Howell, Washington is in the NFC championship game. The Seahawks were .500 with a better QB last year. Why is it crazy to think that they will have a worse record with a worse QB?
You aren’t wrong. But Howell will get you too many wins for a good draft position. I was stating that you would be right where we are now in the draft. This area of the draft is where everyone stays. lol historically cemented in mediocrity.