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Wild Seahawks trade proposal sends Sam Darnold to Dolphins for Tua Tagovailoa

This one might start a riot in SoDo.
Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field.
Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

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This offseason the Seattle Seahawks made a big gamble at quarterback when they decided to trade Geno Smith and replace him with Sam Darnold. While it's far too early to make any kind of judgment on whether or not it was a good idea, there's been buzz about Seattle moving on from Darnold after just one season all along.

After the Seahawks lost their Week 1 matchup with the 49ers that noise has only gotten louder. One fantasy football analyst has proposed a wild trade that would send Sam Darnold to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for their starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. Here are the details.

Seahawks-Dolphins trade proposal

- Seahawks get: QB Tua Tagovailoa

- Dolphins get: QB Sam Darnold, 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, 2027 third-round pick

John Schneider
Dec 8, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

All due respect, this is a wildly imbalanced trade package. Let's address Tagovailoa, first. While Tua definitely has the talent to be a star QB at this level, his now extensive history with concussions raises serious concerns about how long his NFL career is going to last. Meanwhile, Darnold has not suffered a single major injury, unless you count a high ankle sprain to start 2022 and a bout of mono in 2019.

More importantly, giving up multiple first-round picks, a Day 2 selecton and a starting QB for another starter who's only one year younger is the kind of move that rightfully would get any general manager fired - unless the QB in question is a massive step up from the one the team is sending away.

Tagovailoa might have a higher ceiling, but after Darnold's breakout season in Minnesota that's definitely debatable. Aside from a vague fit for Tagoviloa in a run-heavy, play acton type of offense there's really no upside for Seattle, here and the injury history forTua makes this a non-starter.

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Tim Weaver
TIM WEAVER

Tim Weaver has been writing about the NFL since the 2013 season for multiple teams and outlets, including USA Today and The Sporting News. He currently covers the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers for On SI.