How Raiders' Trade for Geno Smith Could Impact Sam Darnold's Free Agency

Seattle is in the market for a quarterback after dealing Smith to Las Vegas.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) hug after the game at Lumen Field. / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders were one of many quarterback-needy NFL franchises entering the offseason, but wasted little time in finding a solution under center with Friday's trade for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith.

Smith, a 2013 New York Jets draftee, finally emerged as a top-end NFL starter nine years later when he inherited the Seahawks starting job from Russell Wilson, earning back-to-back Pro Bowl nods in 2022 and '23. Now, another veteran Jets cast-off may follow in his footsteps.

In the wake of the Smith deal, a number of NFL insiders posted that the move opens up a strong potential landing spot for Minnesota Vikings free agent Sam Darnold. While it was initially treated as fait accompli that Darnold would return to the Vikings, even after the team opted against using the franchise tag to retain him, that has looked far less certain in recent days.

Now with a vacancy in Seattle, Darnold's market could start to heat up.

The idea of Sam Darnold going to Seattle has a lot of traction in league circles, as a sort of second-order move to the @Seahawks trade of Geno Smith. We'll see if it happens ... but that would obviously set off some more dominoes.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 8, 2025

Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes that new Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is familiar with Darnold, working with him during his stint as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023.

Among the sticking points leading to the Smith trade was his desire for a new contract valued at around $40 to $45 million per year. Seattle, meanwhile, valued him at around $35 million annually, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.

Darnold, who is coming off of a one-year, $10 million deal for his breakout season with Minnesota, will likely fall in a similar salary range as Smith, though he is seven years younger. If not for a rough end to the season with the Vikings, Darnold would likely be a cinch for an impressive deal after throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and leading Minnesota to a 14–3 record.

NFL free agency officially opens with the beginning of the new league year on March 12.

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