Sam Darnold Is The Seattle Seahawks New Starting Quarterback After Contract Agreement

Sam Darnold agreeing to terms with the Seattle Seahawks on a three-year contract really isn't that complicated.

It's simple math weighed against youth and talent.

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 24: Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on from the sideline before a game against Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on October 24, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)

Darnold Agrees To Contract

Darnold has agreed in principle on a three-year deal that will ultimately be worth approximately $100.5 million over three years. The deal includes $55 million in guaranteed money.

And that is almost precisely the deal the Seahawks presented to Geno Smith when they began negotiations on a contract extension nearly two weeks ago.

Except Smith was expecting a much bigger raise from his $25 million per-year deal he had signed previously with the Seahawks. So the Seahawks scratched their heads (or helmets), evaluated the rest of the quarterback market, and decided Darnold could be just as good as Smith, if not better, at their price.

And Darnold is 27 years old to Smith's 34 years old.

So they traded Smith. And moments ago, they agreed to make Darnold their new starting quarterback.

Darnold is plug-and-play in that he picks up the Smith contract where Smith left off.

Smith, by the way, fared just fine. He was traded to the Raiders, where he reunited with coach Pete Carroll, He expects a new deal from his new team.

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) under center against the Las Vegas Raiders in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks Have High Hopes For Darnold

So now, the Seahawks, who turned former Jets draft bust Smith into a legitimate NFL starter, hope to repeat the trick. They hope to turn former Jets draft bust Darnold into a legitimate NFL starter.

Darnold has a head start on the assignment. Last season he had a career year. He threw 35 TD passes and only 12 interceptions and helped get the Vikings back to the playoffs with a 14-3 record.

And it was all a surprise to everyone. Maybe even to Darnold.

Because he signed with the Vikings as a backup quarterback. Perhaps as a bridge quarterback. He was insurance on a one-year deal in case first-round pick J.J. McCarthy needed time to develop.

But McCarthy suffered a knee injury that forced him to sit out the season and that thrust Darnold into the spotlight.

And at 27-years-old he delivered performances he never showed at his previous stops with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers or San Francisco 49ers.

So it was Darnold being at the right place, with the right, talented team, under the right scheme and coaching staff, and at precisely the right time.

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) is sacked by Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (4) during the first half in an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Last Two Games Hurt Darnold

The only problem?

Those last two games Darnold played.

In consecutive losses to the Detroit Lions in the regular-season finale and the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs, Darnold more closely resembled his former self.

Darnold completed a season-low 43.9 percent of his passes against the Lions when the division title was riding on the outcome. And the next week, the Vikings were eliminated from the playoffs when Darnold managed a substandard 77.6 passer rating.

The old Darnold is back, critics said.

Those two games didn't keep Darnold from getting a starting job for 2025. But it cost him money, according to NFL sources. Multiple NFL executives believe Darnold might have cost himself upwards of $30 million on that three-year deal he just agreed to by not playing well at the end of the 2024 season.