Over the course of two seasons, the Seattle Seahawks have undergone a significant personnel overhaul. Moving on from head coach Pete Carroll last offseason was the first step. However, the reshuffle went to another level this spring, most notably with the change at quarterback from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold.
Seattle’s moves didn’t end there, with the wide receiver room in particular receiving a complete overhaul. Now, the Seahawks are entering the new season with hopes of returning to the playoffs.
That said, their entire operation ultimately rests in the hands of one player.
Can Sam Darnold Lead the Seattle Seahawks?
Darnold hadn’t shown himself to be an NFL-caliber quarterback in his first six NFL seasons after being drafted in 2018. He bounced around the league over the past few seasons before signing with the Minnesota Vikings last offseason. He entered camp as a backup, but moved to the starting role after a season-ending injury to rookie J.J.McCarthy.
To the shock of many around the league, Darnold proceeded to have an outright spectacular year. The veteran threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. He led the Vikings to 14 wins, a playoff appearance and was a fringe MVP candidate.
However, people still wonder if the success stemmed from his talent and development or if most of the credit goes to great coaching in Minnesota.
Darnold’s dropping dimes. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/zbEnajcHI3
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) June 11, 2025
Kevin O’Connell walked away with the Coach of the Year award, while Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson are one of the best wide receiver duos in the entire league. Those factors certainly helped Darnold have a breakout season.
Though Darnold might not be a sure bet, the gamble was worth taking for Seattle. After sending Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle signed Darnold to a three-year deal worth $100.5 million.
On paper, that might be an upgrade. Darnold finished 12th on PFSN’s QB+ metric while Smith finished 15th. Though to be fair, there was a minuscule difference in their grade score (79.0 vs. 77.6).
On top of that, Darnold is joining a less talented roster and supporting cast with the Seahawks. Last year, Minnesota’s offensive line ranked in the top 10 (per PFSN’s OL+ metric), while Seattle’s ranked second-worst.
Darnold will not only have a worse offensive line but also a worse wide receiving group. The Seahawks parted ways with veteran wideouts Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf this offseason and replaced them with Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
It’s not outrageous to think that Darnold broke out last year because he was in a great spot and not because he legitimately improved his game. Many people remember that he faltered, maybe even choked, in his final two games with the club (which included a playoff game).
While Darnold is a risky signing, the Seahawks do have some insurance. First, they drafted an intriguing prospect in quarterback Jalen Milroe during the 2025 NFL Draft. He likely isn’t ready to start in Week 1, but could be ready mid-season or next year if he develops well.
Additionally, only $55 million is guaranteed on Darnold’s contract. If his game regresses, the Seahawks can quickly pivot without hurting their long-term cap space. As a result, Jacob Infante of PFSN believes all eyes are going to be on Darnold as Seattle begins its minicamp.
Your 2024 Comeback Player of the Year is @Vikings‘ QB Sam Darnold, as voted on by NFL on FOX fans! 💪 pic.twitter.com/13Kf3mxgD3
— NFL on FOX Podcast (@NFLonFOXPod) January 31, 2025
“Seattle was the only 10-win team in 2024 to miss the playoffs,” Infante wrote. “In Year 2 under head coach Mike Macdonald, the bar is clearly set to reach the postseason.”
If Darnold can prove that the 2024 season wasn’t a fluke, the Seahawks, who also have a defense that ranked as the sixth-best in the entire league on PFSN’s Defense+ metric, could be a serious Super Bowl contender.
