Klint Kubiak is new to the Seattle Seahawks, but that only allows the offensive coordinator to have a more objective point of view when it comes to the roster. He has worked with quarterback Sam Darnold before, but only when Darnold was a backup with the San Francisco 49ers while Kubiak was the passing game coordinator.
Darnold is going to be Seattle's Week 1 starter at QB, and head coach Mike Macdonald has made that clear. But how things look later in the season could be different. Darnold signed a three-year deal, but with no guaranteed money in years two and three. He is truly on a one-year prove-it contract.
The Seahawks chose Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft. While there are questions about his decision-making and passing accuracy, Kubiak is putting to rest any queries about whether the rookie is ready to work hard.
Seahawks rookie Jalen Milroe is impressing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak in OTAs
After one of the team's organized team activities (OTAs) this week, Kubiak was asked about Milroe, and the OC was effusive in his praise.
Kubiak told the media, "The No. 1 thing that stands out is the guy's a worker. You see him (at team headquarters) at 4:30 in the morning, out on the field going through his plays. No one asked him to do that, but he's out there putting in extra time. I've seen him grow a lot from rookie minicamp to now, so I've been impressed with the kid.
While that does not mean that Kubiak believes Milroe is ready to be QB1, it also means that Milroe has the perfect approach to his first season, and he will not let anything keep him from being his best. The expectation, too, is that he might be used as a rookie in special packages.
Should Darnold struggle so much in his first season with the team, his likely replacement will be another free agent signee, Drew Lock, and Milroe will probably sit out most of the season. He needs a year to adapt to the speed and schemes of the NFL.
But he isn't acting like he is a backup, and he appears to consistently be striving to improve. This is what any team wants from a rookie at any position, but especially a quarterback. If Milroe can show he has mastered the playbook as well, perhaps he will see more time than expected.
His work ethic might also put him on the fast track to potentially battle for the QB1 spot in 2026. If he earns that spot (and does well, of course), the Seahawks are going to be in a fantastic financial position for several seasons. This should allow Seattle to build the team around Milroe, which is a best-case scenario.
