Sam Darnold

Seahawks Informed Sam Darnold Prior To Jalen Milroe Selection

May 16th, 2025 at 2:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks have their quarterback of the present in the form of Sam Darnold along with a familiar face in the QB2 spot (Drew Lock). That did not stop the team from adding a signal-caller fairly early in last month’s draft, though.

Seattle selected Jalen Milroe with the No. 92 pick, adding the Alabama product to the mix. Given the decision to trade away Sam Howell, Milroe is in line to operate as the team’s third-string quarterback with no thought being given to a position change or a hybrid role. Nether Darnold nor Lock were caught off guard by the selection.

“Yeah, [head] coach Mike Macdonald gave Sam a heads up,” general manager John Schneider said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show (video link). “It was kind of in that period just coming down the pike, like, ‘Hey, this isn’t about you. This is about acquiring an impact player, in our opinion.

“So, Mike talked to Sam. I was able to communicate with Drew. And, obviously, we were communicating with Sam Howell all throughout the weekend as well.”

Shortly after Geno Smith was dealt to the Raiders, Darnold inked a three-year, $100.5MM pact in free agency. The one-year Vikings starter cashed in based on his strong play in 2024, but his Seattle deal leaves the door open to a parting of ways after the coming campaign. Specifically, a $15MM roster bonus is due five days after Super Bowl LX. A window of opportunity will exist for the team to cut bait – albeit by taking on $25.6MM in dead cap charges – if the 27-year-old’s debut season in the Emerald City does not go according to plan.

Lock returned to Seattle on a two-year pact, although his $2.25MM in guarantees only cover the coming season. Seattle could move on next spring with just a $500K dead money hit, something which could be informed in part by the team’s evaluation of Milroe. The latter drew praise in the pre-draft process based on his intriguing blend of size, athleticism and arm strength but questions linger about his upside as a passer at the NFL level.

While the Seahawks prepare for at least one year of Darnold atop the depth chart, the former No. 3 pick will enter the campaign without having been blindsided by the team’s draft approach at the position (as has been the case in other similar situations around the league, of course). It will be interesting to see how Seattle’s long-term plan under center takes shape.

NFC West Notes: Rams, Kittle, Hawks, Cards

May 14th, 2025 at 10:45am CST by Sam Robinson

Tyler Higbee has been the Rams‘ top tight end for many years, dating back to the team’s separation from Gerald Everett in 2021. Higbee, however, is now in Year 10 and coming off a three-game season. The Rams have attempted to install an heir apparent on multiple occasions, most notably failing in an attempt to trade up for Brock Bowers last year. Los Angeles then was tied to an effort to move up for Colston Loveland last month, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicates the team did discuss trades with teams holding top-10 picks.

Once Loveland went to the Bears at 10, the Rams regrouped and traded down, picking up a 2026 first-rounder (from the Falcons) to do so. Upon leaving Round 1, however, the Rams eyed the next wave of tight ends in this draft. Both Mason Taylor (LSU) and Terrance Ferguson (Oregon) were on the team’s radar, per Fowler, who notes Ferguson was rated higher despite Taylor going to the Jets four spots earlier. The Rams have Ferguson (591 receiving yards in 2024) readying to become the Higbee heir apparent.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

Ferguson is unlikely to unseat George Kittle as the NFC West’s top tight end anytime soon, as the 49ers extended their All-Pro dynamo recently. San Francisco’s four-year, $76.4MM deal includes $35MM guaranteed at signing. Beyond fully guaranteed money in 2025 and ’26, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes $2MM of Kittle’s 2027 pay ($17.15MM) is locked in at signing. The 49ers have also dived into the option bonus game, which will help keep Kittle’s cap hits under $19MM until 2029. Kittle can unlock $5MM more in 2027 guarantees by being a 2026 Pro Bowler or landing on the All-Pro first or second team that year; reaching a number of statistical benchmarks that year also could allow Kittle to cash in on that $5MM 2027 bump, Florio adds.
Sam Darnold‘s three-year, $100.5MM Seahawks contract became classified as a pay-as-you-go pact, and ESPN’s Brady Henderson provided an important detail here. Seattle gave Darnold a $15MM roster bonus, but it is not due until February 13 — five days after Super Bowl LX. The Seahawks can cut bait during that window, reminding of the Raiders’ 2023 Derek Carr divorce, if the Darnold partnership does not pan out. Seattle would still pick up a $25.6MM dead money hit (due to signing bonus proration) by cutting Darnold after one season.
DC Aden Durde pushed for Rylie Mills in Round 5 (via the pick obtained in the Sam Howell trade), but the Seahawks will wait a bit to see the Day 3 D-lineman in action. A torn ACL sustained in December is expected to keep the Notre Dame product out until at least midseason, John Schneider said (via Henderson). A late-season return is also in play for a player who will be more of a long-term option in Seattle.
Not rostering a fullback in many years, the Seahawks had planned to add one to work in Klint Kubiak‘s offense. They did so in the draft, as Schneider confirmed (via Henderson) Alabama tight end Robbie Ouzts — a fifth-round pick — will begin his career at fullback. The 274-pound SEC product will compete with Brady Russell, who has played 26 Seahawks games (zero starts) since arriving in September 2023.
A former South Carolina defensive back, Landon Grier made an early foray into the NFL scouting ranks. The Cardinals hired him straight out of college to be a scouting assistant. The son of Dolphins GM Chris Grier, Landon is not expected back with the Cards in 2025, with InsidetheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton noting the younger Grier is on track to return to the college ranks for a personnel role.
The 49ers are also parting ways with a scouting staffer, with Stratton adding Michael Zyskowski is moving on after three years with the franchise. Late spring regularly serves as a point teams reshuffle scouting staffs, as contracts usually run through the draft in an effort to ensure continuity ahead of the event.

Browns, Giants Have Inquired About Trading For No. 1 Pick; Titans Never Considered Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers?

April 13th, 2025 at 11:15am CST by Rory Parks

APRIL 13: Zac Jackson of The Athletic (subscription required) says the Titans appear sold on Ward. League sources have praised Ward’s maturity and the steady improvements he made over the course of his collegiate career, which leads clubs to believe he can thrive at the professional level.

Russini, on a recent episode of her Scoop City podcast, says it would take an historic offer to convince Tennessee to trade out of the No. 1 overall spot and forego its shot at Ward (video link). Russini adds that the reports of the Titans’ faith in Ward are real and are not part of the club’s effort to drive up the price for the top pick in the draft.

APRIL 6: The Browns and Giants, both still in need of a long-term quarterback despite offseason bridge additions, have inquired about trading up with the Titans to obtain the No. 1 overall pick in this month’s draft, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required). We had previously heard Tennessee was fielding calls on that front, and it only makes sense that Cleveland (which presently holds the No. 2 overall pick) and New York (No. 3) would at least see what it would take to make a swap and put themselves in position to land Miami quarterback Cam Ward, the top QB in the 2025 class.

Less than two months ago, many around the league believed the rebuilding Titans would look to trade down, and the Giants were arguably the team most connected to a possible move up the board. The Browns, meanwhile, have been more closely linked to a Kirk Cousins pursuit than a trade for the No. 1 selection, with GM Andrew Berry recently confirming he is unlikely to swing a deal with Tennessee.

Interestingly, Howe says the Titans have not even determined what sort of compensation they would require to move down the board, which further strengthens the prevailing notion that they will select Ward with the top pick. And, contrary to pre-free agency rumors on the matter, Howe says Tennessee never got involved in the Sam Darnold sweepstakes, and he confirms the same is true of Aaron Rodgers. Of course, that represents yet another sign that Ward is Nashville-bound.

Recent reporting has pegged Cleveland as the likely destination for two-way phenom Travis Hunter, and the Giants – who have long been intrigued by Hunter’s collegiate teammate, quarterback Shedeur Sanders – would thus be in position to nab the polarizing passer. That would align with the belief that Big Blue is “praying” Cleveland takes a non-QB like Hunter so that Sanders will fall to No. 3.

On the other hand, New York is said to be “convinced” Cleveland – its professed comfort in having Kenny Pickett assume QB1 duties notwithstanding – will be the team to take Sanders. The Browns did indeed plan a private workout for Sanders, and according to Howe, the Giants will also meet again with the second-generation star prior to the draft.

With Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston having been added to the QB room in free agency, and with Wilson seemingly in the driver’s seat to serve as the starting quarterback regardless of how the draft unfolds, Giants GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll, who are both clinging to their jobs, may prefer to use the No. 3 pick on a player who can help the team win now rather than a high-upside project like Sanders. To that end, one team picking in the top-10 has told Howe that New York seems to be cooling on the idea of adding a signal-caller with its top draft choice.

Considering the Browns-Hunter connections that have recently emerged — supported by Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who says she no longer believes Cleveland will take a QB (video link) — Howe says if the Giants do not select Sanders with the No. 3 pick, they would likely take Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter (assuming Ward and Hunter are off the board by that time). Carter is seen as one of the draft’s best all-around prospects, and New York is one of the four clubs (along with the Titans, Browns, and Patriots) that secured a visit with him. That said, as our Sam Robinson noted when it became clear the Giants would host Carter, they are the team on Carter’s itinerary that would seemingly need him the least, given the presence of Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Carter is nonetheless a blue chip talent, and if Hunter is gone by the time the Giants are on the clock, and if New York does not believe Sanders represents the best player available at No. 3, there is logic in nabbing the Penn State product. Or, if they feel Carter is not a great fit, the Giants could trade down themselves in an effort to collect more draft capital.

Sam Darnold’s Contract Details Reveal Year-To-Year Structure

March 16th, 2025 at 3:49pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Seahawks used a year-to-year structure on Geno Smith‘s last contract, and they appear to have done the same with Sam Darnold.

Darnold’s new deal with Seattle contains $37.5MM in fully-guaranteed money, which will comprise his 2025 compensation, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. He will then be owed $27.5MM for 2026 and $35.5MM in 2027.

$17.5MM of Darnold’s 2026 salary is guaranteed for injury at signing and can vest to a full guarantee after Super Bowl LX. None of his 2027 money is tied to any guarantees, so the Seahawks could release him immediately after the 2025 season having paid just $37.5MM for one season.

A February release to avoid a vesting guarantee is not common practice in the NFL, but the Raiders did it with Derek Carr in 2023, per Florio. Such a move may draw criticism for being player-unfriendly, but Darnold and his representation must have recognized a one-year out as a possibility before signing the deal. He would still have to perform in 2026, as his 2027 salary is not guaranteed, offering the Seahawks another exit ramp after two years.

Darnold’s contract also includes $5MM per year in incentives, split between “individual performance” ($2MM), “postseason performance” ($2.5MM), and “team performance” ($500k).

Teams typically design their incentives as ‘Not Likely To Be Earned’ (NLTBE), meaning that the player did not meet the milestone in the previous season. After an impressive statistical showing in the 2024 regular season led to a Pro Bowl selection, Darnold’s incentives will likely be tied to things he didn’t do last year. That could include an All-Pro selection, winning a major award, winning the division, or advancing in the playoffs.

The structure of Darnold’s deal offers a wide range of outcomes in Seattle. If he fails to replicate last year’s success, the Seahawks could part ways with him after one year. However, a fruitful partnership could upgrade his APY from $33.5MM to $38.5MM per year and set him up for another big-money extension. In short, despite proving himself as a viable starter in 2024, Darnold still has plenty on the line in 2025 with his new team.

Seahawks, Sam Darnold Finalizing Deal

March 10th, 2025 at 11:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The rumblings coming out of the Geno Smith trade look to indeed have produced a deal. Sam Darnold is expected to head to Seattle as the team’s first outside QB1 addition since Russell Wilson 13 years ago.

Darnold and the Seahawks are finalizing a deal worth nearly $100MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Darnold had been linked to a Baker Mayfield-level contract, and it appears the 2024 Vikings Pro Bowler will settle on that tier after a breakthrough season. A price discrepancy has emerged, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the deal is for $110.5MM in total and comes with $55MM guaranteed. If the latter numbers are correct, Darnold bettered Mayfield’s Buccaneers terms.

A weekend report pegged the Vikings as being out on Darnold, and Minnesota now must shift to another veteran option. The Vikings passed on a $40.2MM franchise tag for the resurgent passer but expressed interest in a re-signing at a lower rate. That always ran the risk of a separation, as the open market opened the door for more suitors to speak with the seven-year veteran. Darnold will replace Smith as Seattle’s starter.

The Seahawks proposed a similar deal to Smith, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Seeking a contract north of $40MM per year, Smith rejected the proposal. That led to the sides separating, and it will be the Raiders who will enter extension talks with the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year.

Mayfield signed a three-year, $100MM deal to stay with the Bucs last March; $50MM came guaranteed. That contract came in well north of Smith’s 2023 Seahawks terms (3/75), and the Wilson successor angled for a better deal in 2024. The Seahawks passed at that point, as two seasons remained on their then-starter’s contract. While they were readier to extend Smith this year, a sizable gap in terms led to the impasse that produced the trade. Darnold, 27, does not have as much quality work on his resume compared to Mayfield or Smith, but he hit free agency after a $24MM cap spike.

Cast aside by the Jets and Panthers, Darnold has received training in the Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay (via Kevin O’Connell) offenses. New Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak coming from the Shanahan tree should make this a fairly smooth transition, though Darnold’s skill-position corps may not rival what the Vikings just presented. After throwing to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson, Darnold is joining a team that just traded D.K. Metcalf and cut Tyler Lockett.

Although the Seahawks still have work to do at receiver, they do carry promising running backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. Noah Fant remains on the Seattle roster as well. Darnold will carry significant risk, as the Vikings presented a strong situation for a bounce-back season. The Jets traded him after three mediocre seasons, and injuries kept Darnold off the field for much of his Carolina tenure — one that featured Matt Rhule preferring Mayfield to him. Darnold did not threaten Brock Purdy for the 49ers’ job in 2023, though he did beat out Trey Lance for the QB2 position fairly easily.

Darnold threw 35 touchdown passes last season, eclipsing his previous career best by 16, and finished with 4,319 yards — roughly 1,200 more than his previous-best mark. This season included a Vikings road win over the Seahawks, as the team soared to 14-3 despite separating from Kirk Cousins.

Darnold, however, faceplanted in the Vikings’ two biggest games. Blowout losses commenced against the Lions in Week 18 — a do-or-die game for home-field advantage in the NFC — and against the Rams in Round 1. This undoubtedly proved costly for the passer, but it does not appear his market suffered immensely from the late-season undoing.

The Seahawks still figure to do work on the 2026 and ’27 QB draft classes, but this commitment covers them for a bit. Darnold will have a chance to prove last season’s breakout was legitimate, while the Seahawks can rest easier as today’s QB carousel heats up. Despite hopping on late, Seattle became a destination for PFR’s No. 1 overall free agent.

Steelers Expected To Make Offer To Sam Darnold; Latest On Jets’ Justin Fields Effort

March 9th, 2025 at 5:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sam Darnold-Seahawks connections came in hot after the Geno Smith trade, and Seattle may well reside as the 2024 Vikings starter’s most likely destination. But other teams will drive up the bidding.

The Titans have been closely tied to Darnold, as they are not considered likely (via TitanInsider.com’s Terry McCormick) to pursue a reclamation project like Daniel Jones or one of the failed 2021 first-round picks. But Tennessee may not be the only team that pursues Darnold. After being closely tied to Justin Fields throughout the winter, the Steelers are expected to see what it will take to land Darnold.

Pittsburgh is expected to make Darnold an offer, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. PFR’s No. 1 free agent, Darnold will almost definitely cost more than Fields. And the Steelers going from a veteran-minimum contract and a rookie-scale deal at QB to Darnold would be an amazing jump for a team that has not paid top-tier money at the position since the 2010s.

Fields, however, remains the focus for Pittsburgh, Russini adds. Jets interest in Fields has built since the Combine, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. The Steelers hold more than $63MM in cap space; the Jets check in at just more than $51MM.

Fields would bring scheme familiarity and a lower price tag, but the Jets have gained steam as a suitor. New York’s interest, as the team is not going to be a Darnold suitor for obvious reasons, may be heavy for Fields, with Russini adding the Jets are viewed as team showing “strong” interest. We heard over the weekend the Jets would be a top threat to the Steelers’ effort to re-sign Fields. That appears quite real. The Jets going from Rodgers to Fields would mark a passing downgrade, but the latter is only going into his age-26 season. He is two years younger than Darnold and clearly still has fans in NFL front offices and on coaching staffs.

The Steelers losing out on Fields could drive them to make a genuine push for Darnold, but they could also merely pivot to Russell Wilson, whose market should not rival Fields’ — the Steelers’ 2024 depth chart notwithstanding — or perhaps Aaron Rodgers. The polarizing veteran is unlikely to land in Pittsburgh, per the Pat McAfee Show‘s Mark Kaboly, but the veteran Steelers reporter indicates he could be an option.

The Falcons have not yet budged on Kirk Cousins, intending to (for now, at least) keep him as their backup. Cousins would be a Wilson-like option, as another team would be paying him, for 2025 should he be released. Wilson has spoken with the Steelers this offseason but has long hovered as plan B, and now that Smith has reunited with Pete Carroll, one other option is off the table. Thus far, we have not heard serious talk of a potential Seahawks-Wilson reunion.

Darnold’s price tag impacting the Steelers’ ability to build around him and Fields’ struggles as a passer do not place the Steelers in a great spot here. They do have a strong defense, one Rodgers could conceivably complement, as we suggested back in December. (Though, an upper-crust Jets defensive nucleus just went 5-12.) But the Steelers have not won a playoff game since 2016. That raises the stakes for them to identify the right player this offseason. If a Fields second season is not in the cards, paying more for Darnold appears on the radar.

Vikings Considering Re-Signing Daniel Jones; Colts In Play For QB?

March 9th, 2025 at 5:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 9: As Darnold nears a trip to free agency, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports retaining Jones is still a distinct possibility. The Colts are the other top contender in this situation, she adds. Other quarterbacks will no doubt receive more attention over the coming days as the early portion of free agency unfolds, but Jones could have his next deal in place rather soon.

MARCH 2: Lost in the shuffle among this year’s free agent quarterback crop, Daniel Jones still looms as a potential bridge option for a team. After Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold rejuvenated their careers on one-year deals in recent years, Jones could be in play for a team eyeing a similar rebound for a once-highly regarded prospect.

Jones had more time with his initial team (by a wide margin) than those players, potentially reducing the chances he can still be a starter-caliber passer, but interest remains in the six-year Giants starter. Holding exclusive negotiating rights with Jones until March 10, the Vikings remain in play to re-sign him in a plan that would not include Darnold.

As Minnesota has until 3pm CT March 4 to use its franchise tag on Darnold, the team could go with a cheaper plan while passing on cuffing its 2024 starter. The prospect of the Vikings re-signing Jones as J.J. McCarthy insurance is believed to be a true consideration, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. This would set Darnold up to hit the market as the top QB option and essentially thrust Jones into the role Darnold held going into the Vikes’ 2024 offseason program. This is not the first time Jones taking Darnold’s Twin Cities spot has come up.

Although a report pegged McCarthy as having work to do — following two knee surgeries — to solidify himself as the Minnesota starter, Fowler pushes back on that by indicating the Michigan alum has already shown he can be the team’s franchise QB. Considering McCarthy lost his entire rookie year due to a meniscus tear, it would be difficult for the Vikings to truly express confidence in their preferred 2025 option being ready. But the team showing this much confidence already would seem to point Darnold out of town.

The Vikings signed Jones to their practice squad last November, keeping him there until January. Jones was not active for Minnesota’s wild-card game, separating this from the situation in which Mayfield used a Rams stopover to help generate some momentum. Jones has next to no momentum after disappointing on his four-year, $160MM Giants extension, but he is a former No. 6 overall pick who will only be going into his age-28 season. Considering Kevin O’Connell‘s acumen coaching QBs, Jones on a bridge deal would be a sensible option for a Vikings team with lucrative contracts at receiver and tight end.

Minnesota has still kept its Darnold card close to the vest, though it would seem the only way he would stay is in the case of a franchise tag, which a recent report tabbed as unlikely. Darnold has a chance to score a much bigger contract, after making the Pro Bowl on the original ballot in a 2024 breakthrough, compared to the one-year, $10MM he inked with the Vikes last March. While his exit would allow for Jones to take his place, Darnold receiving the tag would force Jones to look elsewhere. Even if the Vikings do not tag Darnold, they would need to fend off other suitors for Jones.

One could be the Colts, whom Fowler adds he heard connected to Jones on multiple occasions recently. The Colts are ready to insert Anthony Richardson into a legitimate competition. While the team would understandably hope the former No. 4 overall pick wins it, Richardson’s rampant accuracy issues — before and after a midseason benching — have created a need in Indianapolis. A Jones-Richardson competition would not exactly inspire confidence, but Shane Steichen also played a key role in developing Jalen Hurts. The Colts would hope he can do more with Jones than Brian Daboll could.

Justin Fields, Trey Lance and a Jacoby Brissett reunion are also believed to be options for the Colts, Fowler adds. Indy would need to pay up for Fields, who has been connected to just about every QB-needy team this offseason. The Steelers appear to have him prioritized over Russell Wilson, while the Giants, Jets and Raiders are also being tied to the 2021 first-rounder. Lance-Richardson would be a wild matchup, like a crossroads fight in boxing, as both have not come close to justifying their draft slots. Lance also would not bring much insurance, given his struggles and inexperience.

Brissett has a history of helping the Colts out as a short-term solution, being an emergency Andrew Luck fill-in in 2017 and 2019. He signed a two-year, $30MM Colts extension but left in free agency after backing up Philip Rivers in 2020. Brissett has signed one-year deals in each of the past four offseasons and is unlikely to stay with the Patriots.

QB Sam Darnold Seeking Multiyear Deal

March 9th, 2025 at 8:49am CST by Ely Allen

Recent reporting on the pending free agency of Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold has claimed that he is seeking some modest commitment with a three-year contract, per Diana Russini of The Athletic. A more up-to-date report from senior NFL insider Josina Anderson tells us that Darnold is not limiting his opportunities to three-year deals, instead remaining open to multiple opportunities in hopes of landing any sort of multi-year deal.

The desire for consistent job security is an understandable one for a quarterback who hasn’t been given much of a chance anywhere he’s been. One could argue that the Jets gave Darnold three years after drafting him No. 3 overall in 2018 out of USC, but in reality, after two decent seasons that showed improvement, Darnold was traded away after one bad year.

As a rookie in New York, Darnold didn’t win many games as a starter — rookie quarterbacks rarely do. Still, with a 4-9 record in 13 games played, Darnold threw for 2,865 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions while only completing 57.7 percent of his passes. At the time, he was throwing to Robbie Chosen, rookie fourth-round tight end Chris Herndon, Quincy Enunwa, and Jermaine Kearse, while his 26th-ranked run game was buoyed by Isaiah Crowell, Bilal Powell, and Elijah McGuire.

In his sophomore campaign, despite the acquisition of Le’Veon Bell — fresh off a year of not playing football — the Jets’ rushing attack ranked even worse at 31st in the league. An improved receiving corps of Chosen, Jamison Crowder, Demaryius Thomas, and the receiving back, Bell, helped improve Darnold’s individual performance, though. Going 7-6 in 13 games played, Darnold improved his completion percentage to 61.9 while throwing for 3,024 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

For Darnold’s third year at the helm, the Jets brought in a new veteran running back in Frank Gore, who did not quite capture the success he had held in San Francisco with New York. Once again, he was throwing to a new group of receivers as Crowder, Breshad Perriman, Braxton Berrios, and Denzel Mims were his new main targets. Darnold regressed a bit with this group, completing only 59.1 percent of his passes for 2,208 yards, nine touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 12 starts, going 2-10 in those games.

The Jets traded Darnold to the Panthers the following year, where he finally had a decent running back, though Christian McCaffrey would only play in seven games that year before Chuba Hubbard ultimately filled in. Darnold also finally had a playmaking receiver in D.J. Moore, but behind him and Chosen, McCaffrey’s seven-game output and third-string running back Ameer Abdullah were the next top receiving performances for the year, so his stats didn’t much improve from the prior year.

The next season, Carolina brought in Baker Mayfield to start, benching Darnold until the final six games of the season. Finally being provided a top-10 rushing attack, though still throwing to a lackluster group, Darnold led the Panthers to a 4-2 record in those six starts, throwing seven touchdowns to only three interceptions and showing just a hint of what he could do with a decent supporting group.

After a year as strictly a backup in San Francisco, Darnold arrived in Minnesota, where he unceremoniously earned the starting job thanks to an injury to rookie first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. Given a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time in his career and by far the best group of receivers he ever worked with, led by superstar Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson, Darnold shined. With this elite group, Darnold delivered career highs in completion percentage (66.2), passing yard (4,319), and touchdowns (35) while only throwing 12 interceptions.

Darnold showed the league that he was not a bust of a No. 3 overall pick. He showed the NFL that when a team invested in putting an offense around him with good weapons, he was a Pro Bowler capable of winning 14 games and falling just a game short of the No. 1 seed in the NFC. It makes sense, then, that, wherever he goes next, be it Seattle, Tennessee, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, or maybe even New York again, the 27-year-old will want more than a year and, ideally, enough time for a team to put some major supporting pieces around him.

Vikings Not Expected To Re-Sign Sam Darnold; Daniel Jones, Aaron Rodgers On Radar

March 8th, 2025 at 11:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Friday’s Raiders-Seahawks trade has shaken up the quarterback market. As Geno Smith‘s relocation moved the Seahawks into the group of teams needing a quarterback, Sam Darnold immediately became connected to Seattle. That has changed his status with the Vikings.

Although the Vikings came out of the franchise tag deadline with interest in retaining their 2024 starter at a lower rate, that no longer looks to be in play. In the wake of the Smith trade, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports the Vikings are not expected to re-sign Darnold. They are now focused on other options.

As J.J. McCarthy moves closer to the starting role, a Darnold defection will allow the Vikes to focus on a cheaper option. On that note, Daniel Jones remains in play to stay. Jones will not bring nearly the price tag Darnold will, but the Vikings might not be the only team that views the ex-Giant as a player who could conceivably traverse the Smith, Darnold and Baker Mayfield trajectory. A Colts-Jones link emerged earlier this week, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirms Indianapolis will be a factor for Jones as they search for a veteran to compete with Anthony Richardson.

In addition to Jones, a much bigger name lurks. As the Giants have been the team primarily linked to Aaron Rodgers, Rapoport adds the Vikings loom as a dark horse for the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Yes, Rodgers continuing to follow Brett Favre‘s late-2000s career path appears realistic. McCarthy is on track to practice in the spring, per Pelissero, but the Vikings remain expected to add a veteran as a stopgap — at the very least. Rodgers having options may dissuade him from a placeholder scenario like this, but it is not like the Giants would call it a day if they signed the 41-year-old QB.

Rodgers’ path to Minnesota would be slightly different than Favre’s, as the latter’s Packers successor spent two seasons with the Jets as opposed to one. A since-outlawed poison-pill provision stipulated the Jets would have needed to send the Packers three first-round picks had they traded Favre to the Vikings — the QB’s first choice back when Rodgers took over in Green Bay. After Favre retirement No. 2, the Jets merely cut Favre and watched as he joined the Vikings months later. He spent two years in Minnesota, with the first season going much better than the second. Rodgers is about to be cut, and Minnesota needs a veteran.

With no prospect on the Giants’ roster just yet, Rodgers could have a chance to be a full-season starter with the Big Apple’s NFC team. Though, the Giants have been closely tied to a trade-up for Cam Ward. Still, that is not a lock to take place. A veteran who joins Big Blue has a clearer path to keeping the job throughout 2025 compared to one who signs with the Vikings, who are close to beginning McCarthy’s time as a first-stringer. That will affect Minnesota’s QB approach.

The Vikings had elevated Jones from their practice squad late last season but did not dress him as Darnold’s backup in their wild-card game. Nick Mullens did so, but Jones — after six seasons of starter work with the Giants — would be in place to become McCarthy’s primary 2025 backup if he re-signs.

As Darnold’s market soared thanks to his bounce-back season in Kevin O’Connell‘s QB-friendly offense, Jones staying has always loomed as a possibility. With Darnold-Seahawks ties quickly emerging after the Raiders’ Smith acquisition, Jones being a much cheaper post-Darnold solution is not too difficult to envision. Will Jones be the Vikings’ preference to Rodgers?

Raiders Declined Seahawks’ Offer For Maxx Crosby; Sam Darnold Likely To Choose Seattle?

March 8th, 2025 at 11:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks aimed much higher in a Geno Smith trade compared to what they eventually received. Fetching a third-round pick three years after their Russell Wilson trade brought eight assets back, the Seahawks asked the Raiders about a player who drew trade interest before last year’s deadline.

Seattle included Maxx Crosby in its trade talks with Las Vegas, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, who indicates the NFC West team asked for Crosby in a trade that would have sent Smith and D.K. Metcalf to the Raiders. The Raiders quickly informed the Seahawks Crosby was a non-starter, and the team reached a record-setting extension with the star edge rusher earlier this week.

As Metcalf still looms as a trade possibility, the Seahawks will have a new starting quarterback in 2025. They have become the lead suitor for Sam Darnold, with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adding that several execs around the league expect Darnold to end up in Seattle. The Titans have also emerged as a front-line Darnold suitor, but that looks to have changed after this Smith trade, which has brought several Darnold-Seattle links.

Mark Davis said last year Crosby was not available, and although another trade link emerged early this offseason, no serious traction came out of it. The Raiders have since signed Crosby to a three-year, $106.5MM extension. That deal came together quickly, with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicating it took only “a matter of hours” for the sides to hammer out the extension. That is rather surprising, considering that Crosby set a new non-QB contract record despite only agreeing to a three-year term.

Crosby will receive $62.5MM guaranteed at signing, Florio adds, with that figure including his 2025 and ’26 base salaries. Crosby’s 2027 base salary ($29MM) is guaranteed for injury and becomes fully guaranteed on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. That will amount to a practical guarantee, as the Raiders will be extraordinarily unlikely to move on from Crosby next year. Crosby’s 2028 and ’29 base salaries are nonguaranteed.

It is worth wondering if the Seahawks and Raiders’ Smith talks impacted the Crosby extension. Even if they did not, Seattle attempting to land the dominant pass rusher in a package that would have reunited Pete Carroll with Metcalf as well is quite noteworthy. The Raiders could still acquire Metcalf and/or Tyler Lockett, the latter becoming a free agent minutes before the younger Seahawks wideout’s trade request surfaced. The Seahawks want the Metcalf trade matter resolved by the draft.

Metcalf was linked to preferring a warm-weather city and landing in a place with more quarterback stability. This could certainly be perceived as a knock on Smith, and ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry adds that the Smith trade — and Darnold-to-Seattle rumors — could alter the Metcalf conversation in Seattle. Darnold has not been as good as Smith on the whole, though the Vikings QB outplayed the former Comeback Player of the Year in 2024.

Darnold is now expected to leave Minnesota, and it will be interesting to see how far Seattle will need to go contractually to land the breakthrough passer. The Seahawks’ offense will lack the overall weaponry the Vikings’ provided, especially if the team trades Metcalf. Keeping Metcalf would make the Seahawks more appealing to Darnold, even though Jaxon Smith-Njigba authored a breakout season. Darnold will understandably want to know how serious the Seahawks are about moving Metcalf before he commits, as other suitors’ offers could still impact a Darnold-to-Seattle path.

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