Is Sam Darnold being set up to fail with Seahawks?

When it rains it pours, especially in Seattle and especially when most analysts believe the Seahawks made the blunder of the offseason. By going from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold Seattle got seven years younger and significantly cheaper at the game's most-important position, but the vast majority of the media commentary on the swap has been negative bordering on toxic.

Even though Geno Smith would have been playing in front of the same old terrible offensive line as it appears Darnold will be in 2025 - a lot of analysts believe that this swap is doomed to failure, despite the improvement Darnold showed last season. The latest installment comes via Lou Scataglia from NFL Spin Zone. He has named Darnold among the quarterbacks aound the league who are "definitely" being set up to fail this year.

"The Seattle Seahawks traded Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and cut Tyler Lockett, gutting their WR room. Seattle also signed Sam Darnold in free agency, but overall, their roster got a lot worse. Darnold is now primarily going to be throwing to an old Cooper Kupp, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba."

It's correct that the offensive line remains a disaster, as he reminds us in the next paragraph, but we really don't agree that the wide receiver room has been gutted.

The main point of contention we have there is the value of Cooper Kupp, who's an exceptional wide receiver and an excellent fit for the offense Klint Kubiak is going to run. Most folks seem to believe the Seahawks are taking a huge step down going from DK Metcalf to Cupp (who will cost less than half as much), and we just don't agree. A fully-healthy Cupp could produce every bit as much as Metcalf has the last few years (perhaps more) and even if he continues to sit out several games a year due to injuries his production is very solid for a WR2.

The community is also seemingly sleeping on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had already surpassed Metcalf as the team's best wide receiver by the trade deadline last season. JSN was also the top wide receiver prospect in a loaded 2023 draft class at this spot and should only continue to get better with more experience in the league.

Most importantly, the work is not done. It would come as a surprise if the Seahawks don't invest a high draft pick (they have three in the first two rounds) at wide receiver, which should give them a net upgrade over the group they put out last year, which included a Tyler Lockett who simply didn't have it anymore.

Darnold will have to run and play outside of structure a lot, but that's one major area where he showed a lot of improvement last season. To act like he can't possibly have an impressive year unless he has the same kind of elite skill group he had with the Vikings isn't fair. Darnold's game grew by leaps and bounds last season - it just ended on a down note - as it tends to do when any quarterback plays their first playoff game.

Bottom line - the Seahawks do need to work on that offensive line, but they have not significantly downgraded the rest of their roster by any means. Most of all, every key piece on defense is returning for 2025 - and we're expecting a top-five scoring unit on that side of the ball. That will take a lot of pressure off Darnold from having to play hero-ball, as will a run-heavy offense that should heavily feature starting running back Ken Walker, who has legit All-Pro potential that has been squandered by pass-happy gameplans and poor run blocking.

We may be proven wrong by Week 4, but for now we are prepared to die on this hill. Darnold will be good for Seattle (at least as good as Geno) and possibly great if they can fix that line.

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