NFL insider reminds everyone why the Seahawks made the right call swapping Sam Darnold for Geno Smith
The Seattle Seahawks made not one, but two of the biggest moves of the offseason via the decisions to trade former Pro Bowler Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders and sign former Top-5 pick Sam Darnold after a career year that saw him toss 35 touchdown during the regular season.As with any decision, there […]
The Seattle Seahawks made not one, but two of the biggest moves of the offseason via the decisions to trade former Pro Bowler Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders and sign former Top-5 pick Sam Darnold after a career year that saw him toss 35 touchdown during the regular season.
As with any decision, there were supporters and detractors. However, at the end of the day, it's hard to argue against the Seahawks' decision to essentially swap Darnold for Smith.
The main reason Smith was traded was because he and the 'Hawks couldn't reach an agreement on an extension. Seattle didn't want to pay Smith the amount he eventually received from the Raiders and instead preferred to spend it on Darnold.
Ultimately, the Seahawks came away with a much younger and much more explosive QB in Darnold. They also saved some money and were able to draft Jalen Milroe, as ESPN's Jeremy Folwer points out in his latest column:
Smith's deal included $58.5 million guaranteed at signing compared with Darnold's $37.5 million, but from a practical standpoint, assuming both quarterbacks play two seasons with their respective teams, Seattle would owe Darnold $65 million during that span, while Smith would earn $66.5 million.
So, essentially, Seattle got Darnold, Milroe and $1.5 million in cash in exchange for Smith. The Seahawks also get a quarterback who's six years younger, plus the flexibility to get out of Darnold's deal quicker if things go poorly in 2025. – Jeremy Fowler, ESPN
So, the 'Hawks not only got the better player, but they saved money and drafted a quarterback that could carry the torch from Darnold in the future. That's certainly a better situation to be in, but Darnold's success with the Seahawks remains to be seen because of one major difference from last year to this year and the same context applies to Smith.
Can both quarterbacks replicate their past success without the same infrastructure?
A big reason why Darnold's career year happened the way it did is because he had a bunch of great players around him on offense and even defense. His supporting cast of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson (once he returned), Aaron Jones and then the Vikings offensive line is one any quarterback would love to have.
Smith had Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Kenneth Walker II and Zach Charbonnet at his disposal. The 'Hawks have since traded Metcalf and cut Lockett. They did add Cooper Kupp, but his effectiveness remains to be seen, as well as the offensive line's, which will go a long way in determining now Darnold's tenure shapes up.
The Raiders have Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty, but just how much of an impact the latter has remains to be seen since he's a rookie. His best wideout is Jakobi Meyers, who is a WR2 at best and a definite step down from Metcalf. Their offensive line is a big question mark, too.
Both quarterbacks are taking a step back when it comes to their surroundings and it'll be interesting to see just how much they're able to shoulder the load and live up to the expectations that were set once they signed with their respective teams.
