NFL free agency: Seahawks earn mediocre grade from ESPN for Sam Darnold deal

Just like the many NFL analysts who assign teams grades for their drafts seemingly just hours after the three-day process concludes, there are those who give out marks for free-agent moves and offseason acquisitions.

A few days after the Seattle Seahawks decided to send quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick in 2025, general manager John Schneider and the organization agreed to a deal with quarterback Sam Darnold (who spent 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings) that comes to a three-year contract worth $100.5 million, with $55 million guaranteed.

The irony here is amazing. Smith was a second-round pick by the New York Jets in 2013, disappointed during his stay with the Green and Whie, and has bounced around the league. Darnold was the third overall selection by the Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft. The former USC standout also struggled with the same franchise, but after numerous NFL stops enjoyed a career year with Kevin O’Connell’s club in 2024.

Still, despite a Pro Bowl showing by the seven-year signal-caller, ESPN’s Seth Walder gave the Seahawks a so-so B-minus for the acquisition.

Sam Darnold vs. Packers — Dec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

“The optimistic view is that the Seahawks landed Darnold for less than the Buccaneers paid to sign Baker Mayfield and quite a bit less than the Saints paid to sign Derek Carr for in 2023 in terms of per-year averages after adjusting for cap inflation.

“The pessimistic view is that this could pretty easily be a one-year, $55 million deal (we haven't seen the exact structure of the deal yet), which would be notable if his play goes south in 2025. That $55 million guarantee is a lot less than, say, Daniel Jones received with the Giants two years ago, and the contract is cheaper overall than I was expecting.”

Since the Seahawks and the other 31 teams don’t take the field until September, it’s virtually impossible to evaluate the move. Darnold and the Vikings’ season did end with a thud, but no one knows what other moves Schneider has in store over the coming months.

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