There’s always been something strangely constructed about Sam Darnold. Whatever it is, the third overall pick harried even as the league forgot about him. He’s been the man, the backup, the placeholder, the near-one. But now, after seasons spent drifting through depth charts, something in his posture feels different. In 2025, Darnold discovered a fresh opportunity in Seattle, with a $100 million contract in his pocket. The 28-year-old is likely entering a role he’s never quite possessed: QB1. With training camps just around the corner, can he put up a performance that will put Mike Macdonald and Co. at ease?
As a projected starting quarterback for Seattle, he is following in the footsteps of Geno Smith, who is now with the Las Vegas Raiders. Darnold has had somewhat of a resurgent 2024 season after starting just seven games the previous two seasons, as he put up 4,319 passing yards on 66.2 percent completion, tossing 35 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Even though he is projected to be the starting quarterback, he still has to prove himself by going up against returning backup Drew Lock and rookie third-round pick Jalen Milroe.
And if he can prove himself here, then maybe he can break the Seahawks’ two-year streak of missing the playoffs. Talking at the American Century Championship, he said, “We got training camp coming up, so excited for it. Just learn from my teammates, learn the system.”
#seahwks QB Sam Darnold talks about his round at the @ACChampionship and being a dead ringer for #Dexter Morgan #accgolf pic.twitter.com/5ZDegUWNwp
— Starcade Media (@StarcadeMediaKC) July 13, 2025
And come on, Darnold’s been on the NFL merry-go-round long enough that he knows that hype won’t last if the tape can’t catch up. So while he smiled for photos on the golf course, his eyes were certainly set forward to camp. And if the reports coming out of the June minicamp are anything to go by, then he should be extra cautious. It was reported that Darnold is still finding his footing, working through the kind of growing pains expected when switching systems. Even Seahawks reporter Brian Nemhauser spotted a few early warning signs that he calls a “yellow flag.” The quarterback is said to have thrown only a “handful of interceptions.”
Yet the Seahawks’ staff sees things differently. HC Mike Macdonald praised Darnold’s progress, “Sam is doing a great job. Sam has a great feel for the offense right now in terms of growing every day. You can feel the improvement.” That comfort may come in the form of understanding what he’s gone through.
Darnold began his career in the turmoil of the New York Jets. Then, in the ups and downs of Carolina, he took a year off on the 49ers’ bench. Then he came to Minnesota, where finally a reboot happened for the QB. And soon enough, Seattle makes the phone call. A $100 million contract later, and here he is. After years of toggling between franchises, he might have finally found the right system, the right moment, and the right team. But doubts persist.
Why Mike Macdonald’s QB call is the ‘biggest risk’
The Seahawks didn’t merely replace a quarterback this offseason. They dismantled the structure and reconstructed it. Adios, Geno Smith, the reliable veteran who had piloted Seattle for the past three years. Hola, Sam Darnold, a guy with unthinkable ability but just one statistically sound season under his belt. That single sound season in Minnesota got him his $100 million contract. But is that Darnold the actual one? Or lightning in a bottle?
That’s the question that has people calling head coach Mike Macdonald’s QB selection the team’s riskiest offseason move. Todd Vandenburg of 12th Man Rising wasn’t cryptic: “The issue isn’t moving on from Geno. It’s the questionable choice of bringing in Sam Darnold,” he wrote. “Yes, I hope he is magnificent for the Seahawks… the gamble is that Darnold has had exactly one good season out of his previous six in the league.”
To be fair, Darnold’s rocky start came with the Jets and Panthers. The two teams are known more for dysfunction than development. It wasn’t until he sat behind Brock Purdy in the 49ers and then got a shot in Minnesota that fans saw a more polished, confident version of the QB. Now, he’s being asked to replicate that success in Seattle, where expectations are higher, and the scrutiny is constant.
But Macdonald is not simply resting the arm of Darnold on a bet. The Seahawks are rebuilding their identity around a more run-based offense and defense that will be elite. That configuration does not require Darnold to pass 40 times per game. They simply need him to be mistake-free, keep the ball out of the other team’s hands, and read the play when it counts. The “game manager” moniker may not be sexy, but it may just be what Seattle requires.
All that said, the margin for error is paper-thin. Jalen Milroe, the rookie, sits in the wings with tantalizing potential. One miscalculation by Darnold, and the call to switch might become deafening. The gamble, Vandenburg warns, isn’t talent itself; it’s consistency.
So yes, training camp is now here. And yes, Darnold is revved up. But this isn’t just another summer for the quarterback. It’s the beginning of the toughest challenge of his career. And Mike Macdonald’s most aggressive move to date.
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