How Matthew Stafford's $55 Million Extension Changes the Seahawks, Sam Darnold

Matthew Stafford's new $55 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams is shaking things up in the NFC West and could alter the future for Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks.

This makes Stafford the second-highest-paid quarterback in average annual value behind Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott, who is making an average of $60 million per year on his current deal.

With Stafford joining the elite quarterbacks in the league in terms of contracts, matching Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen, it begs the question: What will happen to Darnold when his deal is up?

Sam Darnold Has Two Years Left on His Contract

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold reacts during the Super Bowl LX parade. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Darnold signed a three-year, $100 million contract with the Seahawks that only came with guaranteed money for the first season in March 2025. After throwing for over 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns while leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl, Darnold definitely earned the second season of his contract.

Stafford's $55 million deal could give a glimpse into what the Seahawks will have to pay Darnold if they want to keep him on board beyond the 2027 season.

The Seahawks are committed to Darnold, but they also have the daunting task of keeping the Super Bowl core together. They managed to make a large commitment to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who led the league in receiving this past season with 1,793 yards. He signed a four-year, $168.6 million contract, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history.

On top of that, the Seahawks are likely going to give cornerback Devon Witherspoon a large extension in the coming months, eliminating some of the flexibility they would have on a potential Darnold deal.

Seahawks Have Bargain With Darnold

The Seahawks should look at themselves as a fortunate team, given that they were able to keep all of their high-end players while also getting Darnold at what appears to be a steal. There's a good chance his next contract will cost the Seahawks at least $50 million per year.

"I think he's heading in that direction," NFL insider Daniel Jeremiah said on Brock and Salk. "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. It's like, 'OK, I don't feel super comfortable paying this, but he's going to allow me to feel a little more comfortable because of who he is and how he's viewed.'"

Seattle needs to do whatever it takes to manage the balancing act of keeping their star players happy and keeping enough talent around to maintain their status as one of the league's elite teams.

It won't be easy, but there's a reason why general manager John Schneider has built two Super Bowl champions. His expertise and creativity in managing these types of salaries put the Seahawks in a better position to navigate the issues that will arise later down the line.

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