UCLA Duo Sees New QB Sign One-Year Deal With Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have their quarterback for the 2025 season, as it had previously been reported they would sign Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100.5-million contract.

The move has made many question why, as the Seahawks have quickly shifted their agenda for next season after contract extension talks with Geno Smith failed, leading to his trade to the Las Vegas Raiders.

That aforementioned reporting was the report UCLA Bruins On SI based its observations on how it will affect former UCLA Bruins Jake Bobo and Zach Charbonnet. However, a new report has come out stating that the reported three-year deal is actually a one-year deal with a team option.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio has the latest terms.

In 2025, Darnold will have a $37.5 million contract, fully guaranteed. In 2026, Darnold will receive a $27.5 million deal with $17.5 million guaranteed. The $27.5 million becomes fully guaranteed the week after next season's Super Bowl. In 2027, the last year of the deal, it will be worth $35.5 million with no guaranteed money.

"The structure allows the Seahawks to escape the contract after one year and $37.5 million," Florio wrote. "While it’s generally frowned upon for teams to scrap contracts when the guarantee flips from injury-only to full in the early days of the waiver period, that’s what the Raiders did with Derek Carr in 2023. (The good news for the player is that it gives him a head start on free agency, by more than a month.)

"If the Seahawks pick up the second year of the Darnold contract at $27.5 million, it’s a two-year, $65 million deal. That’s an average of $32.5 million per year.

"Bottom line? If Darnold regresses in 2025, he could be released after only one season. And the Seahawks will be out only $37.5 million. With Geno Smith apparently looking for much more than $37.5 million per year on a new deal in Seattle, the strategic decision to pivot from Smith to Darnold makes sense — even if it ultimately puts the Seahawks back in the market for a quarterback a year from now."

While that is great for Seattle, that poses two massive problems for Bobo and Charbonnet. They are not guaranteed any consistency in terms of who their quarterback of the future will be, and both men are free agents within 48 months.

If Darnold feels his job is on the line, he may not look Bobo's way, putting his trust in an established pass catcher. While Charbonnet could be okay, the margin for mistakes gets that much smaller, especially if Seattle chooses to clean house if Darnold doesn't work out.

It's a precarious time for these two Bruins, and they urgently need to prove their worth. Recent events have shown Seattle will not hesitate to move on from any player.

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