Sam Darnold signed a three-year deal with the Seahawks after leading the Vikings to 14 wins last season. / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
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In the offseason, Seattle went wild with moves, including the trade of quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders before signing his replacement, Sam Darnold, to a three-year, $100 million deal. Then, general manager John Schneider sent away star wideout DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a second-round pick before signing slot receiver Cooper Kupp along with veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling for the perimeter.
What’s at stake this season: Getting into the playoffs
Seattle won 10 games last year but didn’t make the postseason. One of the big problems was going 2–5 against playoff teams. The Seahawks must play better against top-tier competition, or it will be another year of watching January football from the couches.
To that end, Schneider brought in Darnold, hoping to get more from the passing game. In 2024, Smith threw for 4,320 yards, ranking fourth in the league, but also had 15 interceptions, only better than Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield. Darnold comes in with the edict of being explosive while also refraining from making mistakes, something he’s struggled with at times in his career. Last season, Darnold tossed 12 interceptions, tied for fourth-most in the NFL.
For Macdonald, the expectation is also to see improvement from an already solid defense, which was ninth in yards per play and 14th in yards per game against. The unit should be better with the addition of veteran edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence and second-round rookie Nick Emmanwori from South Carolina.
If Darnold can mimic his Minnesota showing, and the defense becomes a legitimate top-10 group, the Seahawks can fight for the NFC West and a playoff berth.
Biggest question going into training camp: Were the changes worth it?
If Darnold can play as he did with the Vikings last year, that would be a noticeable upgrade. Still, that’s a risky bet, considering Darnold ranged from bust to backup before linking up with quarterback whisperer Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota. With Metcalf in Pittsburgh, Jaxon Smith-Njigba must ascend as a top-end No. 1 option.