Darnold has just led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win, but that hasn't stopped some from thinking he's still on borrowed time.
Last season was very fruitful for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold as he squashed several narratives and hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
Coming to Seattle with everything to prove, Darnold did that and more, as he helped the Seahawks win 14 regular season games, and then went 3-0 in the playoffs without committing a single turnover.
But there are still some who aren't sold on Darnold as a long-term option for the Seahawks.
In the second of his three-year, $100.5 million deal, Sam has a potential out in his deal in 2027 if the Seahawks want it.
Per Over The Cap, in 2027 Darnold has a base salary of $35.5 million and a $44.9 million cap hit, so not huge. But the Seahawks if they cut him, would save $38 million in cap space.
And for ESPN's Seth Walder, in a bold prediction as part of the Future Power Rankings piece by the publication, doesn't think Darnold will be on the roster in 2028.
"Darnold will not be on the Seahawks in 2028," Walder wrote. "He started last season red-hot and finished fairly strong in Seattle's Super Bowl run. But from Weeks 10 to 18, he ranked 27th out of 30 quarterbacks in QBR. The Super Bowl win certainly will buy Darnold time. But if he stumbles in 2027, I don't think there are guarantees that he will be re-signed."
With the money involved to secure a franchise quarterback growing by the year, with even Baker Mayfield reportedly wanting $50+ million APY, if the Seahawks are to keep Darnold long-term, it will be pricey.
But if Sam has another good season, wins double-digit games, and leads the Seahawks to the playoffs, the front office and John Schneider might be fine with signing him long-term.
Still, moving on from him after the 2027 season would save Seattle a lot of cap space, but then it better make sure it has an ample replacement, because you can't see the Seahawks being bad enough in that time to have a top draft pick.
Maybe it is someone like Jalen Milroe or Drew Lock who steps in, but in truth, that is nightmare fuel for fans.
Still, this looms as one storyline to watch closely as the season progresses, because it appears that even after you answer all the questions aimed at you and win a Super Bowl, it isn't enough to warrant a long-term deal.
