Sam Darnold has been an absolute revelation for the Seattle Seahawks this season, leading the team to a 9-3 record while putting together a strong campaign overall.
At the very least, Darnold has been an upgrade from Geno Smith, and the three-year, $100.5 million contract he signed with the Seahawks during the offseason looks like a bargain. Particularly in this current market.
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But does there exist a world in which Seattle could actually trade Darnold?
ESPN’s Dan Graziano pitches the possibility, noting that the Seahawks specifically designed his deal so that they would have an escape route after one season, whether that’s via trading him or cutting him.
“If Darnold is still on the Seahawks’ roster five days after the Super Bowl (so, Feb. 13), then $17.5 million of his 2026 compensation becomes fully guaranteed,” Graziano wrote. “But if they were to cut him before that, they wouldn’t owe even one more penny and would be on the hook for just $25.6 million in dead money.”
Darnold is slated to earn $28 million next season and $45.7 million in 2027, but if Seattle parts ways with him soon enough, it won’t owe him much money at all.
The former No. 3 overall pick has thrown for 2,913 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 68.2 percent of his passes and posting a 103.1 passer rating in 2025.
Turnovers have been an issue for Darnold this season, as he has given the ball away 15 times (he has lost five fumbles in addition to the picks he has thrown). Additionally, he has yet to prove he can deliver in big games, as evidenced by his four-interception disaster against the Los Angels Rams.
However, Darnold has played well enough to earn himself another season in Seattle, and the Seahawks’ record reflects that.
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The 28-year-old also totaled 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 picks with the Minnesota Vikings last season, guiding them to 14 wins. Look where the Vikings are without him this year.
It seems highly unlikely that Seattle will move on from Darnold after 205.
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