The Seattle Seahawks made a massive decision this offseason, opting to move on from Geno Smith while planning to roll with Sam Darnold as the quarterback of the future. Darnold had been a draft bust after flaming out with the Jets and Panthers in his first five NFL seasons before spending a year as a backup with the 49ers in 2023.
In 2024, Darnold signed with the Vikings and was thrown into starting duties when rookie first-rounder J.J. McCarthy went down with a season-ending injury. What followed was a career-changing season from Darnold, who went on to start all 17 regular seasons and threw for a career-high 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns (also a career-high), and 12 picks.
It was clear that Kevin O'Connell knew how to get the best out of Darnold and the Seahawks are banking on that success carrying over from Minneapolis to Seattle. Kevin Patra of NFL.com, however, does not think that's going to be the case. Not only does he think Darnold's numbers will be worse in 2025 but he thinks Geno Smith's 2025 numbers in Las Vegas will be better than what he did last year with the Seahawks.
"The biggest question in Seattle is whether the interior offensive line, led by first-round pick Grey Zabel, can protect Darnold enough for him to thrive. If so, the match with Kubiak should be a good one. If they struggle, we're likely to see that Week 18 Darnold, with a lot of high passes while he gets crushed by defenders."
Seahawks swapping Geno Smith for Sam Darnold might haunt them
In all fairness, Patra's comments aren't totally crazy. Darnold has put together only one good season since entering the league in 2018 and he's no longer with the head coach who helped him put up those numbers. As Patra pointed out, the Seahawks offensive line will be a massive question mark too. If Darnold doesn't have good protection, this experiment probably will be a bust.
As for Smith, who the Seahawks traded to the Raiders in the offseason, Patra thinks he can do better in Sin City than in Seattle due to the weapons he has at his disposal.
"The weaponry surrounding Smith is a fascinating collection. Tight end Brock Bowers is a No. 1 target. First-round running back Ashton Jeanty should make his life easier. The WR crew has some questions, but Jakobi Meyers is underrated and second-round pick Jack Bech brings a physical style. If Smith is protected better than he was last year, he can dramatically improve a Raiders offense that has been stuck in the mud for the past two years."
Darnold has a lot to prove in Seattle but the Seahawks knew what they had with Smith. He was a fine quarterback but the Seahawks were not going to take the next step with him at the helm. They're hoping they can with Darnold.
