After jettisoning Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick in the upcoming draft, the Seahawks wasted no time in finding his replacement. While the move is not yet official the Seahawks have agree to a three year $100.5 million deal with for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold.
TOP FREE AGENT QB
Darnold had his best year as a pro last year with the Vikings. The 27-year-old Darnold was the fourth-ranked free agency on the market, so the move was a big get for the Seahawks. As for his career numbers with the Vikings last year, Darnold attempted 545 passes and competed 351 for a 66.2 percentage. He had 4 319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with an overall grade of 82.7 (12th best) . In signing Darnold, the Seahawks got younger at the quarterback position. Darnold will turn 28th in June, while Smith will turn 35 in October.
GOOD SAM OR BAD SAM?
Paying Darnold a guaranteed $55 million is a definite gamble for the Seahawks and a sign that the team believes in him. That is all good and well, but which Sam are the Seahawks getting? The team hopes it is the good Sam who led the Vikings to a 14-3 record as a starter and not the bad Sam who struggled in the team’s final two games. Darnold was sacked 11 times in the Vikings’ wild card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
OFFENSIVE LINE DEPTH
In addition to Darnold, the Seahawks made the first of what is to be several moves to bolster the offensive line. The team signed offensive lineman Josh Jones to a one-year deal worth up to $4.75 million per NFL Network. Jones is a versatile five-year veteran who played both guard and tackle. With the Ravens last year, Jones played just 21 snaps at left tackle, seven at right tackle, and 18 as a sixth offensive lineman in 16 games. The 6’5 339 Jones was a third-round pick of the Cardinals in the 2020 draft. The former Houston Cougar played 47 games for the Cardinals from 2020-22 and was traded to the Texans in 2023, where he played 150 snaps in 13 games.
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