Sam Darnold competing in one of NFL's best divisions at QB position

When Sam Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks back in March, he knew he'd have some intense quarterback duels in the NFC West.

Really, the three other quarterbacks in the division are all at least good, if not great.

Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams is the obvious standout, having led his team to a Super Bowl title back in 2021 and still playing well in his late 30s. Brock Purdy of the San Francisco is fairly divisive among NFL fans and pundits, but he's at least a solid quarterback capable of leading his team far. Finally, Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals may be maddeningly inconsistent, but he's downright electrifying at his best.

San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

When looking at each division's set of quarterbacks, NFL.com's Nick Shook ranked the NFC West's group at No. 2, only behind the AFC West. What held the group back from the top spot, however, was the overall volatility.

"This division carries the most potential for volatility entering 2025," Shook wrote. "Murray appears to be entering a pivotal season with the Cardinals, having yet to put up the kind of wire-to-wire performance that would put a permanent end to speculation about the seventh-year pro's future with the franchise. ... Purdy, meanwhile, just signed a lucrative deal that delivered a long-overdue payday to the former Mr. Irrelevant; now, the pressure will be on him to deliver during what might be a transitional year for San Francisco.

"Darnold is likely feeling a similarly heavy weight after signing with Seattle following a career year in Minnesota; the move placed him in another new situation with even greater responsibility. And finally, Stafford resolved his contractual standoff with the Rams and is back for his 17th NFL season."

The NFC West's quarterbacks are all boom-or-bust candidates for this season, which will make the division very fun to watch, but also makes it hard to rank them collectively.

"Do you see how this could all go horribly wrong?" Shook wrote. "Murray could struggle. Purdy could end up as a victim of surrounding circumstances. Darnold could revert back to a passing pumpkin. The 37-year-old Stafford could feel the effects of Father Time. Or, it will all go right, the NFC West will produce three playoff teams and this group will live up to its end-of-2024 ranking. For now, the quartet is far from guaranteed to follow a strong 2024 with more collective excellence in 2025."

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