Brady Henderson
The Seattle Seahawks have discovered Genosmith’s replacement and agreed to a three-year, $105.5 million contract with former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, sources told ESPN’s Adam Shefater.
The transaction includes a $55 million guarantee, a source told Schefter.
The Seahawks added Darnold three days after agreeing to trade their starting quarterback Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders over the past three seasons.
The Darnold deal is the latest move, though busy, for the Seahawks, who agreed to trade star receiver DK Metcalf for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday and last week to release receiver Tyler Rockett and four other veteran racers.
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The Seahawks traded Smith after trying to negotiate an expansion with a veteran quarterback after the NFL scouting combine last month. Seattle then focused on Darnold, and was widely considered the top quarterback in the free agent market.
Darnold will be reunited in Seattle with new offensive coordinator Clinto Kubiak, who was the passing game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, when Darnold supported Brock Purdy.
Darnold, 27, blossomed in the Vikings scheme last season, and with careful guidance from manager Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota has won 14 wins after winning a total of 21 games over the past six seasons. He ranked fifth in the NFL for passing yards (4,319) and touchdown passes (35), earning his first career Pro Bowl invitation.
Three of Darnold’s 35 touchdown passes last season took place during the Vikings’ 27-24 victory over the Seahawks in December.
However, it appeared that Darnold hit the ceiling as the end of the season. His last two starts were his worst. He took 11 sacks with target off-throws as the Vikings lost the game to the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams with a 58-18 score.
The Vikings signed Darnold in 2024 as insurance for plans to draft a future quarterback. His main job was to give the team enough options to not be forced to play that quarterback.
But Darnold had a strong training camp and was lined up on the Vikings’ first starter, even before McCarthy struggled with a season-ending bursting meniscus on his right knee in the preseason opening game.
The third pick in the 2018 draft, Darnold spent three seasons with the New York Jets, two seasons with the Carolina Panthers, and as a backup with the 49ers before one signed the Vikings.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.
