When the Seattle Seahawks paid quarterback Sam Darnold this offseason, they followed up the move by selecting Jalen Milroe in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Some might immediately jump to conclusions, but that should be the furthest thing from fans' minds. Sports Illustrated's NFL insider, Albert Breer, answered the question that's on everyone's minds at the height of offseason activities and highlights: when will Milroe start, and will he do it as a rookie?
“For Milroe to start this year (absent an injury to Darnold), it’d have to be a situation where the Seahawks’ season was circling the drain and the staff wanted to get a look at what it has in him headed into 2026," Breer wrote.
If Jalen Milroe started in 2025, things will have gone off the rails for the Seahawks
For anyone thinking this isn't a nightmare scenario, think again. The last thing Seattle wants to see is for Darnold to fall flat in 2025 after investing in him this past offseason.
Seahawks fans might point back to when this team paid another veteran quarterback and a rookie wound up taking the job later on, but not every situation can be rookie Russell Wilson on a team with a Matt Flynn.
If Darnold fails in 2025, that's a bad look. It's especially bad if Geno Smith winds up having success with the Raiders.
Should Milroe end up starting toward the end of the year, that likely does mean Seattle's season is over and they're looking ahead. While fans will be excited to see Milroe take the field, it will also be a reminder that this season was a complete and total failure.
This is a winnable division. The playoffs should be within reach. But, if the Seahawks are truly out of it late in the year, that is going to be a tough reality check.
So, yes, this would be a nightmare scenario for the 2025 season.
Now, if Milroe somehow ends up being the quarterback of the future and is the reason why Seattle competes in 2026 and beyond, then all will be forgiven. But, as we know, this league is all about "what have you done for me lately?"
If Darnold's answer to that question is "not much," come December, then this season will have been for nothing.
