Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) fumbles the ball while being sacked by Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (4) during their playoff game at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 13, 2025, in Glendale. Joseph Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NFL.com projects Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold will drop off in 2025

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Russell Baxter | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 7:01 PM ET

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra recently put together a piece regarding quarterbacks changing teams this offseason, and what their numbers could look like in 2025.

Arguably the biggest move in free agency at the position this year was 2024 Minnesota Vikings’ Pro Bowler Sam Darnold leaving the Twin Cities and inking a three-year deal with Mike Macdonald’s Seattle Seahawks.

This past season’s performance with the Purple Gang was career-changing. Darnold started all 17 games, connected on 66.2 of his throws for 4,319 yards and nearly three times as many TD passes (35) as interceptions (12). He did lose four of his eight fumbles, but it was easily a breakthrough year for the former USC Trojan.

“What a difference a year makes,” stated Patra. “Darnold was reborn under Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota, finally looking like the passer many envisioned when he entered the NFL way back in 2018. Better late than never.

“The Seahawks’ previous experience with a New York Jets’ washout (Geno Smith) worked so well that they’re diving back into that deep well,” added Patra. “New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak spent the 2023 season with Darnold in San Francisco. The relationship and some scheme familiarities for the QB should be beneficial.”

Now the bad news. “Despite those positives, I’m not going to project Darnold to double down on a career year,” said Patra. “He’s going from a near-ideal offense to one with question marks at receiver and interior O-line. That doesn’t mean I think he’s going to crater, either.

“Last year, Darnold displayed an ability to make the right read and showed fearlessness zipping the ball into traffic,” explained Patra. “All those glowing pre-draft reports finally looked accurate. Then came the disastrous final two games, when it looked like his ghosts of yore returned. The reality is that he’s probably somewhere in the middle—and his new contract suggested as much.”

Those final two games saw Darnold, in Minnesota’s lopsided losses to the Lions (31-9) and Rams (27-9)—the latter in the playoffs—hit on a combined 53.1 percent of his throws (43-of-81) for 411 yards and a single touchdown pass. He was sacked 11 times (9 vs. the Rams) and committed a pair of turnovers—including a lost fumble that was returned for a touchdown vs. Los Angeles.

“The biggest question in Seattle is whether the interior offensive line, led by first-round pick Grey Zabel, can protect Darnold enough for him to thrive,” pondered Patra. “If so, the match with Kubiak should be a good one. If they struggle, we’re likely to see that Week 18 Darnold, with a lot of high passes while he gets crushed by defenders.”