How Seahawks Can Get Out of Sam Darnold Contract After Just One Year

Darnold's contract in Seattle is for three years ... with a twist.

Darnold will play in Seattle next season. / GREG LOVETT/PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks shuffled their quarterback room around last week, trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders before signing Sam Darnold to a three-year contract.

Except it may not last all three years.

As explained by ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio and outlined on Over The Cap, the three-year, $100.5 million deal Seattle and Darnold agreed upon last Monday can come to an end after just one season—with just $37.5 million paid to the quarterback.

Overthecap’s breakdown of Sam Darnold’s contract. pic.twitter.com/hNdA4YV4ZN

— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) March 16, 2025

But how is this possible if Darnold's contract was reported to include $55 million in guarantees? The catch is simple. His $17.5 million in "guaranteed" money in 2026 is actually only guaranteed for injury—meaning if he's healthy, the Seahawks could cut him in the days after Super Bowl LX in February 2026, free of charge.

You can read up on the full details of the deal here.

Darnold is coming off a season in Minnesota where he threw for career-highs in passing yards (4,319) and passing touchdowns (35) while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record.

That being said, the 2018 first-round pick was also widely considered a massive draft bust prior to last season—so it's understandable that Seattle is covering their you-know-whats with this contract should he ultimately revert back to the mean in 2025.

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