What if the Seattle Seahawks are unable to sign Sam Darnold?

Now that Geno Smith is out of the picture, there's one clear target that stands head and shoulders above the competition to replace him as the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback. That would be Sam Darnold, who not too long ago was rightfully considered an all-time draft bust.

Prior to his surprise breakout year with the Minnsota Vikings, Darnold had never completed even 62% of his passes, had barely managed to eclipse 3,000 passing yards only once, never posted a QBR over 51.4 and had thrown almost as many interceptions as touchdown passes in his career as a pro.

Darnold blasted away all the prior narratives and analysis about his game in 2024, though. While he certainly had help from a strong supporting cast, Darnold went 14-3 as a starter last season and posted career-best marks in completion percentage, passng yards, touchdowns, passer rating, QBR and just about every other metric that matters for a modern quarterback.

Heading into new league year, Darnold is clearly the best free agent option at quarterback in this class and his age (27) indicates that his best football may still be ahead of him. Signing Darnold should be the Seahawks front office's top priority right now.

seahawks — Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) scrambles out of the pocket against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

However, there's a good chance that Darnold will wind up signing with another team - as there will be plenty of competition for his services in a relatively dry QB market plus a weak crop of quarterbacks coming up in the 2025 NFL draft. If the Seahawks can't sign Darnold they'll have to consider other, lower-tier options.

The next-best free agent to consider is Justin Fields, who impressed early on this past season with the Pittsburgh Steelers before being replaced in the starting lineup by Russell Wilson. Fields may also be difficult to sign, though - given the lack of other options on the market.

Some out of the box options that would function as bridge quarterbacks include four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers, who bombed with the Jets last season but has been known to bounce back from bad years more than once. Daniel Jones is another option, keeping in mind that whatever team signs him it'll be a fraction of the absurd $160 million deal he got from the Giants not too long ago. Kirk Cousins is another potential veteran to consider but the size of his contract makes that a very remote possibility, especially considering the Seahawks weren't willing to pay Geno Smith the $45 million a year he was asking for.

Bottom line, there aren't a lot of good backup choices if the Seahawks swing and miss on signing Sam Darnold in the next few days. Most likely they'll have to look to add a quarterback in the draft, who could then compete with Sam Howell for the right to replace Geno Smith as starter.

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