Former Viking Already on the Hot Seat
Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold has been attached to the Seattle Seahawks organization for two months, and his job security might be narrower than most thought when he signed a new contract in March.
One ex-Viking evidently has folks already nipping at his heels.
Darnold quarterbacked the Vikings to a 14-3 record last season before he and the club capitulated in the playoffs versus the Los Angeles Rams. Minnesota didn’t re-up with Darnold this offseason, preferring J.J. McCarthy, and Darnold became a Seahawk at a $100.5 million pricepoint over the next three years.
But here’s the deal: according to some, Darnold is on the hot seat, even if he just got to Seattle.
The Money Trail
On the surface, Darnold’s three-year deal for $100.5 million is rather impressive. He got a bag.
Yet, when one peeks under the hood, the contract is structured favorably to the Seahawks, and if Darnold fired up a one-hitter season, Seattle could cut him loose next offseason while eating $25 million in dead cap, which it would spread over void years in 2028 and 2029.
Of course, $25 million isn’t pennies, but in NFL-speak, it’s a menial price if the franchise wanted to move on from Darnold.
Just $37.5 million of his $100.5 million is guaranteed. That’s a tiny amount compared to his QB1 peers’ contracts.
Sporting News on Jalen Milroe
SN’s Vinnie Iyer sized up NFL rookies who could threaten starters’ jobs in 2025, and Seattle’s rookie quarterback, Jalen Milroe, made the cut. The Seahawks pulled Milroe from Round 3 last month.
Iyer explained, “Milroe is the wildest card in this group given the Seahawks traded Geno Smith and signed Sam Darnold to a 3-year, $100.5 million deal. Darnold is earning $37.5 million guaranteed for the 2025 season, so it would suggest he starts this year with the team having an out next offseason.”
“But there’s no reason for Klint Kubiak and Seattle’s new offensive coaching staff to not get a good long look at Milroe, even if it would not be designated as a competition vs. Darnold. Darnold has the clear edge from experience and working with Kubiak with the 49ers in 2023, but he also can’t provide the athletic dual-threat element Milroe can.”
Milroe has extreme athleticism, and it will be a waiting game to see if his throwing acumen translates to the pros.
Iyer added, “It’s a long shot for the Seahawks to be so open-minded to give Milroe a full-fledged shot, but there’s still a chance that Milroe can manifest all of his talent to make this Russell Wilson-over-Matt Flynn all over again 13 years later. Milroe is doing what he can to advance his growth as a passer, and the Seahawks don’t see him being anything other than a straight-up quarterback who can also be an explosive runner.”
“Darnold is the much better bet to hold the job, but he has to be feeling a little uncomfortable based on the draft capital the Seahawks used on Milroe’s all-around talent.”
Bleacher Report on Darnold
BR’s Brad Gagnon published a similar blurb this week, although more concise, while examining each team’s quarterback situation for the long haul.
Gagnon wrote about Seattle, “Sam Darnold’s contract doesn’t leave Seattle exposed beyond 2025, so it’s safe to assume this is a one-year audition. Based on what happened at the end of last season, there’s a good chance he fails.”
Indeed, Darnold turned into a pumpkin with the Vikings in Week 18 and the postseason, so he has his work cut out for him in Seattle.
The Weight of Expectations for Darnold
Last year, Darnold played in Minnesota with house money. He wasn’t “supposed to” account for 4,319 passing yards when J.J. McCarthy got hurt. But thanks to head coach Kevin O’Connell’s quarterback whispering, Darnold totally revitalized his career, parlaying the 2024 campaign into $37.5 million guaranteed with the Seahawks.
Now, however, everyone expects him to perform like a QB1; the house money is gone.
Darnold must put up or shut up — with Milroe lurking.
Still Young Enough to Stick around the NFL
Even if the Seahawks pivot to Milroe in 2025 or 2026, Darnold has time to find a new landing spot. It’s just that he’d prefer to continue this “Baker Mayfield story” in Seattle. The guy produced 36 total touchdowns for the Vikings last year, and that cannot happen by accident.
Therefore, for the sake of argument, if Milroe took Darnold’s job sooner than expected, Darnold would return to QB2 roles that he inhabited in 2022 and 2023.
His stop in Minnesota truly did wonders, even if Milroe is in Seattle to threaten his job. Darnold’s got a chance.
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