Seahawks Zero In on Sam Darnold as Geno’s Replacement

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With Geno Smith out the door and headed to Las Vegas to reunite with former head coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks are wasting no time looking for their next quarterback. And according to just about every league insider, they’ve locked in on Sam Darnold as their top target.

Darnold, fresh off a breakout 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings, is one of the more intriguing quarterback options on the market. After years of struggling with the Jets and Panthers, he finally put it all together, throwing for over 4,300 yards, 39 touchdowns, and leading Minnesota to a 14-3 record. Of course, his season ended with back-to-back losses in Week 18 and the playoffs, but it was still easily the best football of his career.

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Seattle has competition, but it sounds like they’re leading the race. The Vikings, who had been interested in bringing Darnold back, have reportedly bowed out, and with mutual interest on Darnold’s part, the Seahawks are in prime position to get a deal done before free agency officially opens on March 12.

The big question? How much will it cost? We already know what Seattle was willing to pay Geno Smith—about $35 million per year. Since Darnold is younger and coming off a strong season, he’ll likely land a bit more than that, but not anywhere close to the $45 million Smith was asking for.

If the Seahawks do sign Darnold, expect a contract in the range of three years, $100-111 million—roughly $33-37 million per season. That’s similar to the deal Seattle originally gave Smith and would be considered solid value given Darnold’s upside and age.

More importantly, it would give the Seahawks stability at quarterback without completely resetting their financial flexibility. With the 49ers about to pay Brock Purdy a massive extension, Seattle would be taking advantage of a market inefficiency—getting a capable starter for a reasonable price while their biggest division rival is forced to break the bank.

For now, nothing is official, but all signs point to the Seahawks making a serious push for Darnold in the coming days. 2nd year head coach Mike Macdonald looks to continue building this Seahawks team the way he wants; after already pushing for several roster-moves during the 2024/25 season that had an immediate impact.

If they land Darnold, it’ll mark the beginning of a new era in Seattle—one where they’re hoping he finally lives up to his long-hyped potential being a former #2 overall pick.