The Minnesota Vikings watched as Sam Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency. Darnold’s $33.5 million annual salary was evident, but details about the structure remained unknown.
In the end, Darnold only secured part of that.
The deal is essentially a one-year commitment from the Seahawks. For Darnold, it is a bet on himself.
“The structure allows the Seahawks to escape the contract after one year and $37.5 million. While it’s generally frowned upon for teams to scrap contracts when the guarantee flips from injury-only to full in the early days of the waiver period, that’s what the Raiders did with Derek Carr in 2023,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on March 16.
“Bottom line? If Darnold regresses in 2025, he could be released after only one season.”
Darnold set career highs as the Vikings starter with 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards and 32 touchdowns (with 12 interceptions). His previous best was a 3,024-19-13 line on 61.9% completion with the New York Jets in 2019.
Sam Darnold Looking to Guard Against Regression
GettyLos Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, right, forces a fumble by former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold during the NFC Wild Card game.
Florio noted that escalators in the deal could push its annual value to $38.5 million. But the Seahawks want Darnold to prove his Pro Bowl season was legitimate.
Darnold spoke about his issues in losses to the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions to end the 2024 season. He completed 43 of 81 passes (53%) for 411 yards, 1 score, and 1 pick. Darnold also absorbed 11 sacks, with 9 by the Rams in the NFC Wild Card Playoff.
Moreover, beating the Lions would have won the NFC North and avoided the Wild Card entirely.
“Yeah, I think the biggest thing was just getting the ball out. You know, I felt like I took too many sacks in those games and I think I could just, you know, you know, first of all, it was really good coverage down the field, really good pass rush. And for me, it was just about being able to – even if the checkdown’s covered – just being able to throw it at his feet in some of those instances,” Darnold told “The Insiders” panel on March 13.
“I learned a ton from those last couple games, and just going to continue to learn from experiences like that and grow from it.”
“At the end of the day, it’s just my job to get them the ball,” Darnold said. “That’s as simple as I can put it. Move the offense, move the guys down the field, convert third downs when we have to, and then score touchdowns in the red zone. And that’s really it.”
Darnold is reunited with Klint Kubiak, who coached him with the San Francisco 49ers.
Therein lies another comfort, since Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense is one of the many versions of what 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan runs.
The Seahawks signed former Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp in free agency to offset the trade that sent DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They also signed two-time Super Bowl champion Marquez Valdes-Scantling and still have 2024 Pro Bowler Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
With how his Vikings tenure ended, the onus is on Darnold to produce in 2025.
Vikings Leaving MVP on Hold After Letting Sam Darnold Walk
GettyAaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets reacts after throwing an interception against the Miami Dolphins.
All eyes are on Aaron Rodgers in free agency amid rumors that he is seeking a payday – in terms of salary, not contract length – similar to Darnold’s and is eyeing the Vikings.
“Rodgers is hoping to sign with the Vikings, who went 14-3 in 2024 before suffering a first-round playoff defeat to the Los Angeles Rams,” The Athletic’s Michael Silver, Dianna Russini, and Alec Lewis wrote on March 15. “Meanwhile, the Vikings have been strongly weighing the possibility of pursuing Rodgers as a replacement for 2024 starter Sam Darnold.”
J.J. McCarthy, a 2024 first-round pick who the Vikings traded up to select, and former undrafted journeyman Brett Rypien are the only quarterbacks on the roster. Rypien has played in 10 games, started four of them, and has a 2-2 record in four seasons.
McCarthy tore his meniscus in the Vikings’ preseason opener and missed the 2024 season.
Rodgers, 41, tore his Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 season, his first year with the Jets. He returned in 2024, throwing for 3,897 yards, 28 TDs, and 11 INTs, going 5-12.
Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco, 40, is also an option for the Vikings. He should cost less and accept the possibility of McCarthy starting better than Rodgers as the Vikings replace Darnold.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Former Vikings QB Sam Darnold on Notice Amid $100 Million Seahawks Contract appeared first on Heavy Sports.