{"id":55306,"date":"2025-05-16T17:39:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T17:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/55306\/"},"modified":"2025-05-16T17:39:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T17:39:11","slug":"4-takeaways-from-what-seattle-seahawks-gm-told-rich-eisen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/55306\/","title":{"rendered":"4 takeaways from what Seattle Seahawks GM told Rich Eisen"},"content":{"rendered":"

What are John Schneider\u2019s expectations for new quarterback Sam Darnold? And what was really behind the DK Metcalf trade? The Seattle Seahawks\u2019 general manager talked about that, and more, during an appearance Thursday on The Rich Eisen Show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

6 things that stand out about Seahawks\u2019 2025 schedule<\/a><\/p>\n

Here are four quick takeaways from the interview.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The DK Metcalf trade wasn\u2019t about money.<\/p>\n

Seattle dealt star receiver DK Metcalf to the Steelers on March 9, which was a move not altogether shocking for people who\u2019d wondered whether the team would pay Metcalf more than $30 million per year.<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t always part of the plan for Schneider. If anything, according to him, it was a plan from Metcalf.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really wasn\u2019t (about a big contract),\u201d Schneider told Eisen. \u201cIt was interesting because it wasn\u2019t, like, animosity either. He really, really wanted a fresh start. It\u2019s not like we went into the offseason thinking this would be a possibility, but he was pretty dug in on it. It ended up working out for both clubs, worked out for us and worked out for Pittsburgh. And we wish him the best. He\u2019s a great guy and obviously a high-end competitor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Schneider has very high expectations for Sam Darnold.<\/p>\n

Darnold was never supposed to be the guy in Minnesota. He was brought in on a cheap one-year deal to provide some veteran support to first-round rookie J.J. McCarthy. Darnold became the starter after McCarthy\u2019s season-ending injury and ended up throwing for a career-high 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.<\/p>\n

That production was amazing\u2026 but is it fair to expect it again?<\/p>\n

Schneider has been impressed with Darnold\u2019s development through stops with the 49ers and Vikings and has high expectations for a passer with plenty of potential, but also plenty of question marks.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can see the progress getting with Kyle (Shanahan) and those guys in San Francisco and where Kevin (O\u2019Connell) and his group took it last year,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cHe just keeps making really cool progress every year. And to have an established system in place that he\u2019s played in and is comfortable with is a big deal. Great human, great competitor, been a great leader so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"YouTube<\/p>\n

\u2022 Mike Macdonald gave Sam Darnold a heads-up that they could be drafting a quarterback.<\/p>\n

Schneider and Macdonald made sure to reach out to Darnold, Drew Lock, and Sam Howell (the latter was later traded) prior to the NFL Draft to let them know about the team\u2019s plan to take a quarterback.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Macdonald let him know) like, hey, this isn\u2019t about you. This is about acquiring an impact player in our opinion. Where does the quarterback stuff go, we don\u2019t know how fast,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cSo Mike talked to Sam (Darnold), I was able to communicate with Drew, and obviously we were communicating with Sam Howell all throughout the weekend as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 They had durability questions before signing Cooper Kupp, but feel like the game speed is the same.<\/p>\n

No, the Seahawks didn\u2019t replace Metcalf with Cooper Kupp. Kupp is returning to Washington state as a veteran who can provide support to a young quarterback and a young No. 1 receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba \u2013 though it doesn\u2019t mean Seattle\u2019s front office thinks he\u2019s lost a step.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you watch the film, there were some durability questions there,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cBut when you watch the film, the game speed quite honestly is the same. And he\u2019s very confident in the way he takes care of his body.\u201d<\/p>\n

More on the Seahawks<\/p>\n

\u2022 A recurring theme throughout Seattle Seahawks\u2019 2025 schedule<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0Brock and Salk react to Seattle Seahawks\u2019 2025 schedule<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0Where Seattle Seahawks\u2019 strength of schedule ranks for 2025<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0Seattle Seahawks\u2019 2025 NFL schedule revealed \u2013 see it here<\/a>
\u2022 Pete Carroll: End of Seattle Seahawks tenure was \u2018different\u2019 than perception<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow @stacyrost<\/a><\/p>\n

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