All it takes is one season in the right situation for a player to rework his image in the NFL altogether. Since coming into the league, Sam Darnold was quickly labelled a bust after his career started slowly with the New York Jets as a first-round pick. However, in the perfect opportunity last year, he launched an impressive campaign with the Minnesota Vikings, immediately raising his stock.
As a result, the Seattle Seahawks were ready to part ways with four-time Pro Bowler Geno Smith in exchange for Darnold. As Smith found himself on the Las Vegas Raiders after the trade, the Seahawks offered a big deal to their new signal-caller. Nearly five months later, fans in Seattle are anxiously waiting to see the new quarterback in action. But will Darnold be on the field as they open their preseason slate against Smith and the Raiders?
When Is Sam Darnold Making His Debut for the Seattle Seahawks?
Through all of the work in the offseason, Darnold has firmly held on to the QB1 spot. His competition, rookie Jalen Milroe and Drew Lock, is projected to be backups for the time being, at least.
But, against Las Vegas in Week 1 of the preseason, those two will be handling the bulk of quarterback duties. As Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune confirmed from head coach Mike Macdonald, most starters won’t be suiting up in their preseason opener.
Specifically, he wrote, “Coach Mike Macdonald says rookie regulars Nick Emmanwori, Grey Zabel, Elijah Arroyo will play Thursday in #Seahawks preseason opener vs Raiders. Most other starters won’t play.”
It’s a safe bet to assume, then, that Darnold might not be taking the field against the Raiders. Instead, the growing idea from Macdonald is to lace up his starters for Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs, who he believes will be engaging their starters.
Coach Mike Macdonald says rookie regulars Nick Emmanwori, Grey Zabel, Elijah Arroyo will play Thursday in #Seahawks preseason opener vs Raiders. Most other starters won’t play. @thenewstribune pic.twitter.com/FuqphK2T4l
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) August 5, 2025
Bell confirmed in a second post, “Coach Mike Macdonald hints #Seahawks starters likely will play next week at home vs the Chiefs, because coach Andy Reid has a habit of playing Kansas City’s starters in the preseason more than most.”
What’s on the Line for Darnold This Season?
As a first-round pick 2018, Darnold’s career did not go how he had anticipated. After failed stints in New York and with the Carolina Panthers, it seemed like he would be resigned to being a career backup.
An injury to J.J. McCarthy in the preseason last year paved the way for Darnold to take over the starting job. With an offensive genius like Kevin O’Connell on the sidelines, an excellent defense, and a pass-catching group featuring the likes of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, he took an immediate jump.
Leading the Vikings to 14 wins, he put up 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, both the fifth-highest marks in the league last season. It has given Darnold something to hold dear. However, with the Seahawks, he can alter his image entirely.
While detractors might point to the situation in Minnesota as the reason for his success, a winning stint in Seattle could remove any doubts about the quality of the quarterback he is.
