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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.

Seahawks To Sign OL Josh Jones

March 10th, 2025 at 11:14pm CST by Ely Allen

The Seahawks are making the move to bring in a bit of depth on the offensive line this offseason. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported today that former Ravens lineman Josh Jones is expected to sign with Seattle.

Jones’ first five years in the NFL have shown many different sides of what he can provide. A former third-round draft pick for the Cardinals out of Houston, Jones got most his playing time on special teams as a rookie. By his sophomore season, Jones had worked his way into a starting role, starting 12 games for Arizona — nine at right guard and three at right tackle.

Though he didn’t retain his starting job for the full season, Jones displayed that he could be a serviceable starter at multiple positions along the offensive front. He continued to work, and even though he didn’t begin the 2022 season as a starter, the Cardinals knew that they could turn to him to start at left tackle when D.J. Humphries went on injured reserve with a back injury. Jones started nine games for the Cardinals that season, including the final eight of the year.

The next season saw a similar circumstance after Jones was traded to Houston. Jones appeared in 13 games for the Texans, starting three. Of those three starts, one was at left guard and two were at left tackle.

Following the expiration of his rookie deal, Jones signed with the Ravens for 2024. When a lack of serviceable starters forced Baltimore to utilize their usual sixth-man of the offensive line, Patrick Mekari, as a starter for the full year, Jones’ versatility allowed them to do so without losing that valuable sixth lineman who can fill in everywhere. While Mekari has started games in the NFL at every position on the offensive line, Jones is not far behind him, having started at every position but center. Jones didn’t start any games in Baltimore, but he played in 16, often finding himself involved in jumbo packages that the run-heavy Ravens used frequently. Now both Mekari and Jones have departed from Baltimore.

In Seattle, Jones may just find an opportunity to start again. The team is set to watch starting left guard Laken Tomlinson depart in free agency, as will key backup tackles George Fant and Stone Forsythe. Even if Jones isn’t able to secure a starting role, he’s established himself as a valuable backup who can fill in at almost any position along the offensive line wherever he goes.

Seahawks To Contact Aaron Rodgers

March 9th, 2025 at 11:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Closely linked to Sam Darnold after trading Geno Smith, the Seahawks are obviously not certain to land him. The Vikings are not expected to bring Darnold back, pointing to the QB having interest in a newfound suitor, but Seattle will still need to pay up to land a player we ranked No. 1 on our 2025 free agent list.

Darnold could certainly be labeled the Seahawks’ top target, as buzz about a potential Russell Wilson reunion has not built. But a more talented quarterback will be available soon. While Aaron Rodgers is 41, he is a four-time MVP who played decently last season. The Seahawks are not expected to pass through this free agency period without talking to the 20-year veteran, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.

[RELATED: Sam Darnold Likely To Choose Seahawks?]

Rodgers has been connected to the Giants and Vikings, but a Seahawks landing would give the all-time QB talent a better chance at competing — in all likelihood — in 2025. The Seahawks are coming off a 10-7 season, seeing Smith’s 15 interceptions prove an impediment in Mike Macdonald’s first season. Klint Kubiak is now aboard as OC. He has not stopped through Green Bay or New York, but the second-generation coach does run an offense that resembles Matt LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett‘s. Kubiak was on Hackett’s 2022 Broncos staff, though that might not be a ringing endorsement.

One connection could be more notable. Seahawks GM John Schneider was in Green Bay when the team drafted Rodgers in 2005. Schneider was also Packers director of football operations when they made the move to trade Brett Favre (after unretirement No. 1) in 2008. In his second year running the show (post-Pete Carroll), Schneider has now signed off on trading Smith and D.K. Metcalf. Seattle has plenty of work to do this offseason.

This connection aside, shifting from a 34-year-old quarterback to a 41-year-old passer who is not yet two years removed from Achilles surgery would be a fascinating plan for the Seahawks. Rodgers ranked 25th in QBR last season (four spots south of Smith) but did start 17 games after his Achilles rehab and finish with a 28-11 TD-INT ratio. Teams could certainly do worse, though much has changed about the baggage Rodgers brings since Scheneider’s time with the Packers.

Rodgers has not confirmed he is even playing in 2025, but all signs are pointing to it. The Jets are about to be tagged with $49MM in dead money, and offsets would make Rodgers’ 2025 landing comparable to where Wilson was in 2024. The Steelers had Wilson on the veteran minimum, as the Broncos were paying the rest. As the Jets prepare for the second-highest single-player dead money hit, they will be on the hook for the bulk of Rodgers’ 2025 money.

Seahawks To Re-Sign Ernest Jones

March 9th, 2025 at 5:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

Another high-profile linebacker has avoided free agency. Ernest Jones has worked out a new Seahawks agreement in lieu of testing his market.

This will be a three-year, $33MM pact, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. $15MM in guarantees is present, he adds. After being acquired via trade by the Seahawks, Jones will now remain a key member of their defense for the foreseeable future.

Jones was traded from the Rams to the Titans in August, setting him up to spend his walk year in Tennessee. Instead, the 2021 third-rounder wound up being dealt to Seattle ahead of the trade deadline. Jones racked up 94 tackles and an interception in 10 games upon returning to the NFC West, and talks on a long-term deal allowing him to remain in Seattle for 2025 and beyond took place.

Those discussions were temporarily paused, but it remained clear leading up to this point that a mutual interest still existed for a deal to be worked out. Now, in line with several other linebackers remaining in place before gauging their markets during the legal tampering period, an agreement has been reached. Defensive tackle Jarran Reed was re-signed earlier today, and he and Jones will remain impactful members of the front seven moving forward.

Jones underwent knee surgery following the regular season, something which may have hurt his market to an extent had he elected to speak with outside suitors. Instead, he will remain in place for a Seahawks team already aware of his health situation. Jones’ new pact will move into the top 10 in AAV for linebackers once it and the many other recent deals at the position becomes official.

The likes of Zack Baun (Eagles), Nick Bolton (Chiefs), Bobby Wagner (Commanders), Lavonte David (Buccaneers) and Jamien Sherwood (Jets) have all re-upped with their respective teams recently. Once the new league year begins later this week, few options of note will be available at the position in free agency. Jones could have used that as a means of landing a more lucrative deal, but he will continue his career in the Emerald City.

Seahawks Lower Asking Price On D.K. Metcalf Trade

March 9th, 2025 at 3:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks are already on track to have a very different offense in 2025. A trade agreement involving quarterback Geno Smith has been worked out, while the team has moved forward with the expected transaction of releasing wideout Tyler Lockett.

Further changes could be in store if D.K. Metcalf‘s trade request winds up being honored. The two-time Pro Bowler has one year left on his current pact, but he is seeking a new one averaging roughly $30MM per year. Teams will be hesitant to meet that asking price, especially if Seattle drives a hard bargain with respect to trade compensation. The team’s stance on that front appears to be softening, however.

The Seahawks were recently connected to a price of a first- and third-round pick in a Metcalf trade, but Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports they have lowered their ask. Seattle is now willing to entertain offers built around a second-round selection, she adds. That will only come into play, of course, if an interested team is prepared to authorize a major raise for the 27-year-old in addition to parting with notable draft capital.

Metcalf – who was discussed a trade chip between the Seahawks and Raiders before the Smith swap was agreed to – is known to be eyeing a warm weather climate and a stable quarterback situation. Scheme fit will also be a consideration for interested teams, Josina Anderson of The Exhibit notes. She adds that at least one suitor is not prepared to pay more than a third-round pick in addition to making Metcalf one of the league’s highest-paid receivers.

Compensation could serve as a counterbalance to Metcalf’s preference regarding his destination, per Sports Illustratred’s Albert Breer. Teams which cannot offer a warm environment may need to offer more on an extension to swing a deal. Interestingly, Breer adds Metcalf was believed to be interested in joining the Texans before they swung an intra-divisional trade for Christian Kirk. That should keep Houston out of the market for an expensive addition as the new league year takes shape (especially if Stefon Diggs winds up being re-signed).

Metcalf has averaged over 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns per season during his career, and he has played at least 15 games every year since entering the league in 2019. The Ole Miss product could find himself on the move soon amidst high expectations with a new extension in hand, especially if the Seahawks stick to their desire of working out a trade before April’s draft.

Seahawks, DT Jarran Reed Agree To Deal

March 9th, 2025 at 1:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jarran Reed was set to reach free agency in the coming days, but that will no longer be the case. The veteran defensive tackle has a new deal in place with the Seahawks.

Team and player have agreed to a three-year contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The pact has a maximum value of $25MM. Reed has been with Seattle (the second time around) for the past two seasons, and his tenure there will continue as a result of this deal. Providing further details, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network adds Reed will collect $8MM in 2025, noting the base value of the deal is $22MM.

The 32-year-old began his career with the Seahawks, playing there from 2016-20. His Seattle release paved the way for a pair of one-year tenures with the Chiefs and Packers before a reunion took place. Reed took a two-year, $9MM pact to return to the Emerald City in 2023, and his performances during his second tenure with the franchise has earned him an even larger commitment.

A seven-sack season in 2023 showcased Reed’s continued ability to make an impact against the pass, although his production and playing time saw a drop this past season. The former second-rounder handled a 72% snap share upon returning to Seattle, but that figure fell to 60% in 2024. Reed still managed 4.5 sacks, 20 pressures and 45 tackles, though, and he will be counted on to remain a key contributor along the defensive front moving forward.

Seattle used a first-round pick on Byron Murphy during last year’s draft, and The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar notes the team hopes to increase his workload in 2025 (subscription required). Murphy logged a 49% snap share as a rookie, and it would come as no surprise if he were to see a jump in playing time in Year 2. Reed – whom Dugar wrote the Seahawks were interested in retaining – will nevertheless remain a starting presence with his second Seattle tenure being extended.

Seattle entered Sunday with roughly $62.5MM in cap space. This Reed deal will eat into that figure, as will a Sam Darnold contract if the team’s preferred quarterback option can be added. In any case, the Seahawks will still have funds available for other free agent additions this week.

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.

Seahawks To Trade Geno Smith To Raiders

March 7th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rumored to be still looking into trades after the Matthew Stafford push failed, the Raiders have found a solution. Pete Carroll will be reuniting with a QB — just not via free agency.

Rather than a Russell Wilson signing, the Raiders are trading for Geno Smith, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. The Raiders will send the Seahawks a 2025 third-rounder for Smith, Seattle’s former Wilson backup-turned-three-year starter. Suddenly, it is the Seahawks who need a quarterback.

[RELATED: Seahawks Want D.K. Metcalf Trade Done By Draft]

While we mentioned Smith as a prospective solution minutes ago, it is still fairly stunning the Seahawks are parting with a proven starter. One season remains on Smith’s three-year, $75MM contract. This trade will almost definitely bring a Smith extension, as the Raiders were on the cusp of giving Stafford a monster guarantee package.

Smith is not in Stafford’s skill class, but he is two years younger. Going into his age-35 season, Smith likely has secured another starter year without the threat of an immediate QB heir apparent coming in. Indeed, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports Smith is likely to land a new deal in Vegas; he has been seeking a contract between $40-$45MM per year. The Seahawks came in at around $35MM per year, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Smith entered the offseason as the NFL’s 19th-highest-paid QB, with no one really around his $25MM AAV.

The 2022 Comeback Player of the Year, Smith is due a $14.8MM base salary in 2025. That money is not guaranteed, but again, it would be quite surprising if the 12th-year veteran were still attached to that deal by Week 1. This represents a major swing by a Raiders team that has shuffled through QBs since benching Derek Carr in December 2022. Smith is one year older than Carr, but he has displayed durability since replacing Wilson in Seattle.

Smith stunned the football-following world by being far more than a mediocre Wilson successor, rising from longtime backup — a player who had drawn low-end salaries from the Seahawks for four years — to the NFL’s completion percentage leader. Smith broke Wilson’s single-season Seahawks passing yardage record in 2022, also throwing 30 TD passes, and then re-broke it this past season. He finished with 4,320 passing yards last season, though the 15 interceptions brought concerns for the Seahawks, who had passed on acquiring an heir apparent for multiple offseasons. Smith ranked just 21st in QBR last season, after coming in at seventh (2022) and 14th (2023) in his other Seattle starter years.

Talks had begun between Smith and the Seahawks, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates the sides did not make much progress. This will end a six-season partnership, one that brought three winning seasons — including a 10-7 2024 season — and a playoff berth with Smith at the wheel. The Seahawks are now exploring a Sam Darnold addition, providing a tremendous shakeup to the QB market days before free agency. Smith had pushed for an extension in 2024, but the Seahawks did not greenlight one.

Seattle’s shocking Smith trade comes after John Schneider had said there was no doubt the QB would remain at the controls in 2025. The deal also comes two days after D.K. Metcalf requested a trade. The Seahawks, who cut Tyler Lockett minutes before the Metcalf news surfaced, are making wholesale changes after back-to-back playoff misses. Seattle had not previously missed two straight postseasons since the 2008-09 seasons — before Carroll and Schneider arrived.

Metcalf is believed to be targeting a deal to a warmer-weather team, with Russini indicating during a radio interview with Mike Golic and Mike Golic Jr. that the standout receiver also wants more QB stability. Metcalf has since seen the Seahawks deal a proven starter, as the team joins a handful of clubs in pursuit of a free agent. Effectively, the Raiders and Seahawks have swapped places. This is a long time coming for the Raiders, who have come off back-to-back seasons featuring struggles staffing the position.

The Raiders cut Carr and signed Jimmy Garoppolo. After Garoppolo became a post-June 1 release — following another injury-plagued season that involved a midyear benching — the team gave Gardner Minshew a two-year, $25MM deal. Also benched, Minshew sustained a season-ending injury and will follow Garoppolo in being a post-June 1 cut. Aidan O’Connell remains on the roster, but he no longer has a realistic path to the starting job. This will at least buy the Raiders time, as they could now — barring a renewed Cam Ward trade-up effort — wait for a better offseason to strike. This has widely been viewed as an unspectacular QB draft class.

Las Vegas picked up an extra third-rounder via the Davante Adams trade, closing the book on the wide receiver’s two-plus years with the team. The Raiders carried more than $80MM in cap space entering Friday; some of that figures to go to Smith’s extension, but the team will have necessary funds to improve around him, after a 4-13 season cost Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco their jobs. In stepped Tom Brady, who has been a central presence in the Raiders’ QB pursuit.

Carroll is on a three-year contract, coming in as a hopeful culture-resetting presence after tumult consumed the Raiders following Jon Gruden‘s forced resignation. Carroll had stumped for Smith during the months between the Wilson blockbuster and the 2022 season, and Smith beat trade pickup Drew Lock for the starting job. He was unchallenged for the position in 2023 and ’24, but Mike Macdonald and new OC Klint Kubiak will be working with a new passer in 2025. Kubiak had said Smith was a “huge draw” to bring him to Seattle; Smith will now get to work in Chip Kelly‘s offense.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/7/25

March 7th, 2025 at 9:47pm CST by Ely Allen

More teams made tender/non-tender decisions on restricted and exclusive rights free agents today. Here are the latest updates:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

Carolina has tendered Mays with an original-round tender worth $3.26MM. A former sixth-round draft pick, the third-year center will be able field offers from the rest of the league. If an offer comes in, the Panthers would have the chance to match it or let the team sign Mays in exchange for a sixth-round pick. Mays started eight games in 11 appearances last year.

Houston flashed early, particularly when he tallied eight sacks in seven games (only two starts) for the Lions as a rookie. Since then, injuries and inconsistency have kept him from sticking in Detroit or Cleveland.

ERFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

Seahawks Pursuing QB Sam Darnold After Trading Geno Smith

March 7th, 2025 at 6:07pm CST by Ely Allen

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.

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