The Sam Darnold Move Gets Sterling Reviews
Sam Darnold totally repossessed his career in Minnesota last year, leading the Vikings to a fancy 14-3 record before he and the team collapsed in the postseason.
Bleacher Report evidently “re-graded” the NFL’s top offseason transactions — former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold must be in a good spot.
Minnesota and Darnold later parted ways in the offseason, prompting Darnold to sign with the Seattle Seahawks for $100.5 million over the next three seasons.
And now that the deal is about four months old, Bleacher Report is quite fond of it.
It’s a Stellar Grade for Darnold, Seahawks
Darnold joins forces with former Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak in Seattle.
Sam Darnold to Seahawks Gets an ‘A’ Grade
BR’s Kristopher Knox “re-graded” the NFL’s most impactful offseason moves this week, and for Darnold to the Seahawks, he slapped a big ‘ol A onto the report card.
“Signing Darnold wasn’t necessarily a home run move by the Seahawks. The 28-year-old did have a Pro Bowl campaign with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, but he had a terrific supporting cast last season and struggled to even be an average starter for most of his NFL career,” Knox explained.
“Still, his three-year, $100.5 million contract was reasonable, especially considering the going rate for quarterbacks and the fact that Seattle can get out of the deal after a year. The Seahawks could release him with a post-June 1 designation next offseason and save $27.5 million in cap space. Bleacher Report‘s Gary Davenport initially gave the Seahawks an “A-” grade for the signing. The deal looks even better now.”
With Darnold out of the way, Minnesota nominated J.J. McCarthy for QB1 and refused the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes in free agency. Daniel Jones also left the Twin Cities, choosing the Indianapolis Colts as his next employer.
Knox added, “Signing Darnold, who could start for another decade or more, was a low-risk, high-reward move. Seattle then got itself a developmental Plan B when it drafted Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in Round 3. Milroe may be on the unpolished side but has the ceiling of an elite dual-threat quarterback in the mold of Lamar Jackson — who head coach Mike Macdonald saw plenty of as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator.’
“If Darnold maintains his Pro Bowl form in Seattle, great. At worst, he’ll give the Seahawks time to develop and evaluate Milroe while examining options in future draft classes.”
A Chance for Darnold to Build on the Repo Season
Darnold dimed 4,319 passing yards and delivered 36 touchdowns with the Vikings in 2024.
That will a) not be easy to replicate in Seattle because the stat line was just so impressive b) not be simple for McCarthy to replicate in Minnesota.
Both will try, however, and in fact, play against each other in late November. It’s Vikings at Seahawks in Week 13.
The Offensive Line May Not Help
Unfortunately for Darnold’s sake, he’ll veer away from a Top 12 Vikings offensive line one year ago and be surrounded by the NFL’s third-worst in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus.
PFF’s Zoltán Buday ranked all NFL OLs this week, and noted on the Seahawks at No. 30: “There is not much to suggest that the Seahawks won’t again field a bottom-tier offensive line. Seattle used its first-round pick on Grey Zabel, who is projected to start at left guard.”
“However, a rookie who played at the FCS level last season is unlikely to provide a significant upgrade to a unit that allowed the second-highest pressure rate in 2024 (34.5%).”
Jalen Milroe Ready to Go if Not
Seahawks fans also have the perk of a hedged bet.
Darnold’s contract is extremely team-friendly, meaning he can be released or traded rather seamlessly next offseason if 2025 ends up upside down. And before or after that determination, Seattle can rest easy knowing that it drafted Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in Round 3 a couple of months ago. Third-round rookies usually get auditions before too long.
Seattle also signed fan-favorite passer Drew Lock, so the Seahawks have options if the A-graded Darnold doesn’t thrive.
Aaron Rodgers to Steelers = ‘C’
Knox wasn’t quite as approving of Aaron Rodgers to the Pittsburgh Steelers, assigning a ‘C’ grade.
He wrote, “The Steelers finally signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers in June, which means they finally have their starter for the 2025 season. However, it seems they will embark on a one-year run with the future Hall of Famer. The abbreviated window with the 41-year-old does nothing to suggest this was a brilliant gamble by the Steelers.”
“They have lacked a long-term answer at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, and Rodgers isn’t it. That said, the four-time NFL MVP was probably the best option the Steelers had after the early offseason passed.”
Rodgers reportedly campaigned to join the Vikings before settling on Pittsburgh.
Knox continued, “According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh wanted to re-sign Justin Fields and ‘explored’ a trade for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Eventually, the franchise pivoted to Rodgers. Can the Steelers win their first playoff game in nearly a decade with Rodgers at the helm? Maybe, and in that context, it’s hard to hate the move.”
“However, the Steelers could have outbid the New York Jets for Fields or drafted a quarterback before taking a sixth-round flier on Will Howard. Rodgers probably isn’t delivering a Lombardi Trophy this season, and the Steelers will likely be right back in the QB hunt next offseason. At least the veteran’s $13.7 million price point makes him a budget bridge option for the coming season.”
The Steelers and Vikings meet in Week 4 overseas in Ireland.
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