Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

One free-agent QB could be big winner of Geno Smith trade

By Steve Delvecchio | Last updated Mar 8, 2025 9:35 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders managed to land their new quarterback days before the start of free agency, and the trade could have a significant ripple effect across the NFL. One veteran player in particular might be a big beneficiary of the deal.

The Raiders on Friday night sent a third-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Las Vegas now has a new starting quarterback, and Seattle needs one.

It seems like the Seahawks already have a replacement for Smith in mind. They are widely expected to pursue Sam Darnold when the legal tampering window of free agency opens on Monday. Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported on Saturday that Darnold is now the "primary focus" in Seattle.

Sources: The #Seahawks, after trading Geno Smith to the #Raiders, have shifted their primary focus to Sam Darnold. He is their No. 1 option, and there is mutual interest on his behalf as well.

It is highly unlikely that Darnold returns to the #Vikings, according to multiple… pic.twitter.com/otbTOj3hTh
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 8, 2025

The Minnesota Vikings chose not to use the franchise tag on Darnold, which would have paid him just over $40M for 2025. There have been reports that the Vikings still want Darnold back, but they are committed to J.J. McCarthy as their franchise quarterback of the future.

Darnold always seemed likely to receive bigger offers in free agency than what Minnesota is willing to pay him. Now that the Seahawks are reportedly targeting Darnold, the cost to sign the 27-year-old may increase.

Other teams that still need a starting quarterback include the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, who have the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the NFL Draft, respectively. The New York Giants and New York Jets may also be in the market. The latter drafted Darnold and nearly ruined his NFL career, so there is virtually no chance of him returning there.

No matter how you look at it, the Smith trade seems like positive news for Darnold. Even the mere perception that Seattle is interested should raise his value.

Steve DelVecchio

Steve is a veteran writer who has covered a variety of sports and pop culture topics for more than 15 years. In addition to Yardbarker, his work has been featured on prominent digital publications including Larry Brown Sports, MSN and FOX Sports. The UConn graduate has published more than 40,000 stories and is one of the most experienced trending news writers in the country

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