Insider explains how Seahawks protected themselves with Sam Darnold deal

Shortly after it was reported in March that quarterback Sam Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5M contract with the Seattle Seahawks, analysts pointed out that the team could escape the deal as soon as next offseason. 

For a piece published on Friday, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano provided more information on how the Seahawks protected themselves while acquiring a new QB1 for at least the upcoming season.

"The Seahawks have a longstanding policy of not guaranteeing any money in veteran contracts outside of the first year," Graziano explained. "So Darnold's full guarantee consists of his $32M signing bonus, his $5.3M 2025 salary and his $200,000 workout bonus. That's it. If the Seahawks want to walk away after this season, they'd owe him no more than that $37.5M."

Darnold seemed on track to earn a massive contract in free agency after he won 14 of his first 16 starts with the Minnesota Vikings last season. 

However, he then completed 18-of-41 passes for 166 yards with no touchdowns in Minnesota's Week 18 game versus the Detroit Lions, who clinched the NFC North division title and the playoffs' No. 1 seed with the 31-9 win. Eight days later, Darnold took nine sacks, threw an interception and lost a second-quarter fumble that was returned for a score in the Vikings' 27-9 wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Logic suggests Darnold's play in his final two outings with the Vikings cost him millions of dollars in free agency. A report from earlier this month made it known that Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady "was not in favor" of the club signing Darnold back in March. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers allegedly gave Darnold "no assurance" that he’d "legitimately get time to prove himself as a viable long-term option" for them. The Cleveland Browns adopted a more cost-effective approach for their quarterback room. One would imagine Darnold probably didn't love the idea of returning to the New York Jets, considering he once saw "ghosts" while wearing their jersey. 

"If Darnold plays out the first two years of this contract," Graziano added, "he'll have made $65M. If he plays all three, he'll get the full $100.5M. That's still just $33.5M per year, which makes Darnold the 18th highest-paid quarterback in the league by average annual salary. Team-friendly deal."

The Seahawks also protected themselves by selecting quarterback Jalen Milroe in the third round of this year's draft. Milroe is undoubtedly a project, but he could be called into action late in the season if Darnold regresses to the form he showed with the Jets and Carolina Panthers.