Let's be clear. The Seattle Seahawks made about a metric ton of bold offseason moves this year. But one of John Schneider's decisions stands out above all the rest.
So, let's see. The Seahawks moved on from two of their top three receivers. That includes the man who ranks second in virtually every receiving category for the team, Tyler Lockett. I understand the reasoning behind it, but it was still a bitter pill to swallow. As for DK Metcalf, well, he forced his way off the team, so that doesn't have the same feel. The impact though, will certainly be larger.
They let several other key players walk in free agency. Dre'Mont Jones, Laken Tomlinson, and Tre Brown all moved on to other teams. Left guard Tomlinson's departure could be the biggest blow. He was only ranked 44th by Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but that's miles ahead of the candidates at right guard who are currently rostered.
But the biggest gamble was the trade of starting quarterback Geno Smith. Okay, the gamble was who Schneider chose as his replacement.
Sam Darnold is the Seahawks biggest gamble of the 2025 season
Yeah, I know all the reasons that Seattle traded Smith. He had those inexplicable interceptions where no one with an osprey on their hat was within five yards of the pass. All too often, those picks came in the red zone, crippling any chance of winning a very winnable contest.
The biggest reason Smith is now with the Oakland - oops, Las Vegas - Raiders is that he wanted a bigger contract than the Seahawks felt he warranted. At its heart, it's the same reason Seattle traded Russell Wilson lo these many centuries ago. At least Geno didn't demand that Seattle fire their GM and head coach.
No, the issue isn't moving on from Geno. It's the questionable choice of bringing in Sam Darnold. Yes, I hope he is magnificent for the Seahawks. I'd love to see him earn every penny of his $100 million contract. In fact, it would be fantastic if he plays so well that Seattle extends it.
Even with the tantalizing potential of Jalen Milroe on the roster, who doesn't want to see Darnold ball out? Other than the rest of the division.
No, the gamble is that Darnold has had exactly one good season out of his previous six in the league. Granted, five of those were with stunningly bad franchises, the Jets and the Panthers, so he deserves at least a partial pass there. New York was lousy before he got there and still is.
Carolina won only 10 games in the two seasons pre-Darnold. He went 4-2 in his second season, while Baker Mayfield managed just a 1-5 record in his starts. After Darnold left, the Panthers dropped to 2-15.
So maybe he isn't as bad as his career stats would indicate. When you're on a bad team, which is basically all he ever saw until joining the Niners in 2023, you tend to try too hard. Stepping into the starting role of a good Vikings team, Darnold excelled for the most part.
It's that "for the most part" that gives all 12s cause for concern, of course. He was not good in his final two games for Minnesota, and that's being kind.
With a renewed focus on the running game, he shouldn't have to perform miracles for the offense to score. And with what promises to be an elite defense, the Seahawks need Darnold to be that most dreaded term for a QB, the game manager. He has the talent to win his share of games. The gamble is if he can be consistent enough not to lose them.