Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has a lot riding on his 2026 season. He isn't suddenly going to be released if he has a bad year, mind you, but how much he could earn after 2027 could certainly change drastically if he doesn't meet expectations.
Last offseason, Darnold signed a three-year contract with Seattle for a maximum of $100.5 million. His first season with the team resulted in him producing exceedingly well and helping lead head coach Mike Macdonald's squad to a Super Bowl victory.
In 2026, Seattle should once again be good and potentially contend for another title. If Darnold plays his part and is extremely effective, he could start asking about an extension next offseason. How much the QB would make beginning in 2028 isn't fully known, of course, but the average annual salary might start at $50 million.
Seattle Seahawks may be looking at paying Sam Darnold $50 million a season soon
ESPN's Bill Barnwell said on Seattle Sports 710 AM, for instance, "If you’re Sam Darnold’s agent, you’re looking at that negotiation very closely and saying, ‘Hey, if Baker Mayfield gets maybe $50 million per year, well gosh, Sam Darnold’s won a Super Bowl. At the end of the day, I don’t think the Seahawks are naive to that reality. This is a good problem to have."
High-end NFL analyst (and draft guru) Daniel Jeremiah also had the same number in mind. $50 million appears to be trending toward the number more and more analysts are thinking Darnold will at least ask for.
Jeremiah also recently told Seattle Sports 710 AM, "I think he’s heading in that ($50 million) direction. If [the Seahawks are] going to stick to their guns on their policy and he comes out and has a year that approaches what he did last year, I would say he’s going to land in that ballpark. I think he’s also going to get the benefit of who he is as a person."
Obviously, $50 million a year is a massive amount of money for most of humanity, but it isn't for an NFL quarterback. Should Darnold receive that much in a new deal, which certainly would not be shocking, he would join a list of 12 current quarterbacks who make at least that much annually.
The list is likely to grow even if Sam Darnold doesn't reach the $50 million number. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield will likely receive that much in an extension (or if he signs with another team in free agency, which isn't expected).
That means the problem for the Seattle Seahawks is that by the time Sam Darnold and the team begin discussing an extension, his asking price could easily exceed half of $100 million per season. Still, there is no reason for general manager John Schneider to discuss an extension with Darnold yet, as he has two years left on his contract.
Let's just hope that the Seahawks once again make a deep run in the playoffs and possibly win another Super Bowl. If that happens, the team would be more than happy to pay Darnold almost as much as whatever he wants. He will have earned it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google