Quarterback Sam Darnold guided the 2024 Minnesota Vikings to a 14-2 record but then endured two consecutive nightmare outings that made it easier for the club to let him reach free agency.
Now, with the Seattle Seahawks, Darnold spoke with reporters on Thursday about whether he saw "ghosts" during his final Minnesota start, as he had earlier in his career.
"I think being able to get the ball out a little bit quicker on some of the dropback stuff that we had those last couple games and understanding where the outlets are and even if a guy is covered, even if my [running back is] covered on a checkdown, just throwing it at his feet," Darnold said about what he learned from those losses, ESPN's Brady Henderson shared. "I feel like I was taking some unnecessary sacks last year, especially those last few games. ... I'll definitely be thinking about that, keeping two hands on the ball in the pocket at all times. Just doing all the little fundamental things. But that's a big one, is being able to just get the ball out on time."
It seemed likely Minnesota would at least use the franchise tag to retain Darnold's rights after 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy spent his rookie season recovering from the meniscus repair he needed in August. However, Darnold then passed for 166 yards with no touchdowns in a 31-9 blowout defeat at the Detroit Lions that cost the Vikings the division title and the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. He then lost 82 yards on nine sacks, tossed an interception and had a second-quarter fumble returned for a score in the 27-9 wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Despite how Darnold played in Minnesota's biggest games of the campaign, Seattle gave him a three-year, $100.5M contract. That's somewhat understandable, considering he ended the regular season with the league's fifth-most passing yards (4,319) and fifth-most passing touchdowns (35).
"Well, I think Sam's best days are ahead of him, and I think you've seen that through the course of his career," Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said about replacing Geno Smith (now with the Las Vegas Raiders) with Darnold, per Nick Shook of NFL.com. "He was able to grow as a player. ...You definitely feel Sam's presence, poise and competitiveness. Accuracy, the downfield threat, that's definitely a part of it, and then being able to run the show, too, operationally. Sam can do it with the best of them, as well."
The system run by Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is similar to the offense used by Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. If Kubiak can build upon what O'Connell accomplished with Darnold, Macdonald's comment about "Sam's best days" could prove prophetic.
