NFL.com: Odds feel long for Sam Darnold to improve on last year with Vikings

When Sam Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks, there were automatic thoughts of a reversal of fortune. The days of Seattle not making the playoffs were going to be in the rear view mirror. Darnold was going to deliver a championship-caliber offense to the Seahawks.

Darnold is probably going to have to pull off a miracle if he wants to be named the Most Valuable Player of the National Football League.

Eric Edholm of NFL.com selected one player for each team that he might viewed as a candidate for the award.

Edholm, of course, selected Darnold as the subject player for the Seahawks. However, there was a caveat. In order for Darnold to be an MVP candidate, he has to be better than he was at the end of the last season with the Minnesota Vikings.

"I tend to doubt I'll be writing any "Why Sam Darnold will win MVP" columns this summer, although stranger things have happened. After all, Darnold is coming off his best career season, throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 TDs while leading the Vikings to 14 victories," Edholm said. "That placed Darnold 10th in the MVP voting, although I suspect he'd have been bumped up a few notches had he played better and Minnesota had beaten Detroit in Week 18.

"That said, his candidacy on Seattle feels weaker entering the season. If Darnold were to better his 2024 production and lead the Seahawks to a division title, let's say, he'd be due proper respect," Edholm said. "But is that even possible in a new offense that could be more of a ground-based attack? His odds feel long, at best."

So, the only player on the Seahawks capable of becoming the league's MVP is a serious long-shot at best. The Seahawks did not pay Darnold all that money to just hand the ball off. You can bet there will be a strong vertical passing game.

Edholm might be selling Darnold and the Seahawks short. Darnold should be in the running for the award if he has a season like he had in 2024, short of the last three games. He has certainly shown he is capable of pulling it off.