Sam Darnold’s contract details reveal why the Seahawks’ deal for their new QB is even better than expected in 2025 and beyond
Free agency is a dangerous place to find a franchise quarterback, especially after the Seattle Seahawks had just traded an established veteran in Geno Smith. The team opted to sign Sam Darnold, and the three-year, $100.5 million contract could raise some eyebrows.However, the details are always what end up mattering. And they make the deal […]
Free agency is a dangerous place to find a franchise quarterback, especially after the Seattle Seahawks had just traded an established veteran in Geno Smith. The team opted to sign Sam Darnold, and the three-year, $100.5 million contract could raise some eyebrows.
However, the details are always what end up mattering. And they make the deal significantly better for the franchise, according to a report from Pro Football Talk.
The deal has no signing bonus and no guarantees beyond Year 1. It means that it’s actually a one-year, $37.5 million contract, with two team options after that. If Darnold is healthy and the Seahawks release him after this next season, there will be no dead money.
Structure of the deal is team-friendly
The Seahawks signed Darnold after a breakout season for the Minnesota Vikings. But the contract structure takes into consideration how risky the move is in the first place, based on Darnold’s questionable track record in the NFL.
It's a simple structure, and the entire amount is paid in the form of base salary—$37.5 million in 2025, $27.5 million in 2026, $35.5 million in 2027. Because there is no signing bonus, the yearly compensation is also the cap hit each season.
The 2025 salary is the only fully-guaranteed part. In 2026, there are $17.5 million in injury guarantees, and that becomes fully guaranteed in the week after the Super Bowl.
If Darnold is cut before the trigger and without a failed physical designation, there will be no money left to pay or dead money in the salary cap. If the quarterback plays to a solid level, the Seahawks can keep him around for a reasonable price.
Sam Darnold was the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He spent three years with the New York Jets, and then moved around the league playing for the Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, and the Vikings. Last offseason, he had signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Vikings in free agency to be a bridge quarterback.
He ended up having a career year and making the Pro Bowl. Darnold completed 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, a 102.5 passer rating. The rating went down to 77.6 in his playoff debut, a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings decided to go cheaper, possibly going with last year's first-rounder J.J. McCarthy as the starter—however, they are still considering Aaron Rodgers as an alternative.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick. Smith, who was Seattle's starter over the past three seasons, wants an extension around $45 million per season. Darnold's contract structure justifies why the Seahawks ultimately made the decision to pull the trigger in this sequence of moves.
A big swing from the Seahawks in free agency that no one expected has been labeled their worst move of the offseason so far
The Seattle Seahawks offseason has been full of headline-catching moves. From trades to free agency signings, the team has certainly kept busy to begin the new league year. In a new A to Z Sports article, the worst move made by each NFC team was chosen, and the one singled out for the Seahawks might surprise […]
