The Seattle Seahawks struck it rich this offseason by winning the Sam Darnold free agency sweepstakes. Though Darnold may not have had as much interest as many expected for the Pro Bowl quarterback coming off a career year.
The Minnesota Vikings unsuccessfully tried trading Darnold, but after finding no takers, he was allowed to enter the open market as a free agent. It didn’t take long for him to find a new home, signing a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks after they traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Yet, just because it was reported as a three-year contract, it doesn’t mean the Seahawks are tied to their new QB for all three seasons.
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Seattle Seahawks only tied to Sam Darnold for one season
Sam Darnold’s contract structure is unique. He is getting $37.5 million from the Seattle Seahawks in 2025. That entire amount is fully guaranteed. But the rest is a question mark.
Darnold is set to earn another $27.5 million in 2026, but once Super Bowl LX arrives, only $17.5 million is guaranteed for injury. Then another $35.5 million is due in 2027, but that entire amount is non-guaranteed.
As Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio points out, the way Darnold’s contract is structured allows the Seahawks to move on after just one season and $37.5 million paid.
This means the Seahawks could still be eyeing a potential future franchise quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft as a fallback option if Darnold doesn’t live up to expectations. For now, they’re rolling with Darnold, hoping he can help them return to the playoffs, much like he did in Minnesota.
Related: 2025 NFL mock draft: Who should the Seahawks draft in the first round?
