Donald is just one year into his three-year deal with Seattle, and next offseason, he could be set to sit at the negotiation table.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold will look back on the 2025 season as the one where several narratives ended.
Plus, he could also look back on it as the start of the road to becoming one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in football.
Yes, Darnold has played just one of his three-year deal he signed last offseason, and averages $33.5 million APY.
Is he underpaid? After last year's exploits, you can certainly make that case, but the Seahawks won't be extending him this offseason; that could be coming next offseason if he has another good year for the Seahawks.
But when Sam does come to the negotiating table, what sort of deal can he be looking at?
Per Over The Cap, Patrick Mahomes ($64 million APY), Dak Prescott $60 million APY) are the top two, then five quarterbacks on $55 million (Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford).
Bob Stelton of Seattle Sports' Bob and Wyman thinks Darnold could be set for that type of money in 12 months' time.
“I don’t think Sam Darnold and $55 million was a conversation we were having a couple years ago, but a Super Bowl later, I think he’s worth it,” Stelton said.
“There’s still people out there that need to be shown one more year before you would make that investment, and that’s fine. But I’m telling you, man. If he has another year like he just had – which isn’t the greatest in history, but it was a solid year – that price tag could go up in another year.”
Given that Darnold has brought a championship to Seattle, he is now in a sweet spot of his career because he's shown he can get it done in the biggest spots.
All of the players we mentioned above, aside from Mahomes, haven't. So Darnold has a big advantage there when it comes time to talk contract.
Granted, still with two years left on his deal, the Seahawks could, in theory, make Darnold play on those two years and then franchise tag him, but doing that would only see the money they will eventually pay Sam go up.
Now, he won't be the highest-paid, but he could easily ask for $55 million to be part of that group of quarterbacks, right?
This will be an interesting storyline to follow over the next 12 months, as Darnold looks to go from the NFL scrap heap to a $55 million player over the course of a couple of seasons.
