Seattle has Darnold on a cheap contract, but will the franchise extend him when that deal expires?
The Seattle Seahawks are NFL champions after Sam Darnold overcame all the naysayers and beat the New England Patriots.
This offseason, the Seahawks said goodbye to a host of key starters and rotational players, while managing to re-sign a couple of their own free agents.
Plus, Jaxon Smith-Njigba signed a monster new deal, making him the highest-paid receiver in football at $42 million APY. Also, corner Devon Witherspoon is also in line for what many think will be a market-setting contract.
But there is one contract coming down the pipeline that I'm not sure too many have thought about.
And that's Sam Darnold.
He signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks, but the 2026 season is the last year of his guaranteed money.
Also, in 2027, his cap number rises to $44.9 million, and his base salary skyrockets from $12.3 million in 2026 to $35.5 million in 2027.
So how will the Seahawks approach a possible extension with Darnold?
That is one question an anonymous NFL executive asked the Athletic's Mike Sando.
“Do we think Sam Darnold is the long-term answer at quarterback?” one executive asked Sando. “What happens a year from now when there’s a new owner who is not emotionally connected?”
“Dak Prescott is making $60 million without a Super Bowl, Sam is at $33.5 million, so …”
That is a fascinating conversation starter. Where Darnold will land on the highest-paid quarterback list.
We have Dak ($60 million APY), then Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Jordan Love, and Trevor Lawrence all making $55 million APY, per Over The Cap. That's the top five.
So, we could easily imagine that, given Darnold has now won a Super Bowl, and all quarterbacks mentioned above haven't, Sam could easily ask for Dak-level money, if not more.
What that could do for the Seahawks' attempt to build another Super Bowl-winning roster, with JSN as the highest-paid receiver in football and Witherspoon potentially the highest-paid corner, is going to be interesting.
Many have spoken of the Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon contracts, but Darnold's is a big shadow set to loom over the franchise.
How will Seattle play it?