The Minnesota Vikings were essentially a perfect fit for quarterback Sam Darnold in 2024, and that led to the best year of his career and a $100.5 million contract from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this offseason.
However, Darnold is unlikely to recreate that success in Seattle in 2025 for multiple reasons. Kevin Patra of NFL.com laid out those reasons when predicting a significant step back for Darnold in the upcoming year.
“I’m not going to project Darnold to double down on a career year. He’s going from a near-ideal offense to one with question marks at receiver and interior O-line,” Patra wrote on Thursday, May 22. “Last year, Darnold displayed an ability to make the right read and showed fearlessness zipping the ball into traffic. 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.”
Darnold went from among the better passers in the NFL when he had adequate time to throw in Minnesota to a below-average signal caller when he didn’t, clearly bothered by pressure to a troubling degree.
“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,” Patra continued. “If so, the match with [Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint] 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.”
Sam Darnold Could Be in Trouble After Just 1 Year With Seahawks
GettyThe Seattle Seahawks have some insurance in QB Sam Darnold’s contract.
If Patra is right and Darnold takes a significant step back from the 4,319 passing yards, 35 TDs and 12 INTs he put up during the sole Pro Bowl season of his career in 2024, that could also mean that he’s out as the starter in Seattle after just one season.
The Seahawks drafted former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in the third round, who is easily the most athletic signal caller of the 2025 class and figures to be the best rusher of the football from the position. However, he also has arguably the strongest arm of any rookie QB, and Seattle’s decision to draft him so highly puts immediate pressure on Darnold to perform.
“Sam Darnold’s contract doesn’t leave Seattle exposed beyond 2025, so it’s safe to assume this is a one-year audition,” Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report wrote on May 9. “Based on what happened at the end of last season, there’s a good chance he fails.”
Vikings’ Season Hinges on Play of QB J.J. McCarthy
GettyQuarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
A more pertinent projection for Minnesota’s 2025 season is what second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be able to accomplish as he replaces Darnold on a 14-win roster that appears to have improved, at least on paper, from last year.
The Vikings beefed up the interior of the offensive line and brought back every significant skill-position player from last season.
McCarthy missed the entirety of his rookie campaign with a knee injury, otherwise he may have won the starting job from Darnold at some point during the 2024 campaign.
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