Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has surprisingly been one of the more underrated and, to some, disrespected quarterbacks of the offseason. Despite a Pro Bowl season where he received both MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year votes, Darnold has been routinely ranked in the middle to low tiers in NFL quarterback rankings.
The former USC Trojans quarterback was ranked 26th on a list by Pro Football Focus, placing him in a tier of veterans capable of solid play, but could be easily replaced during the 2025 NFL season. Is the ranking fair or foul? As Darnold has come into his own, he’s worked hard to shed the reputation that preceded his breakout season as one of the best gunslingers in the NFL.
“The big question for Darnold and the Seahawks is which version of the quarterback shows up in 2025. Will it be the one we saw from 2018 to 2023, when his highest-graded season was just a 66.0 as he struggled with decision-making and offensive consistency?” PFF analyst John Kosko said.
Darnold isn’t the most refined in terms of managing risks, but what he lacks in that department, he makes up for with pure arm talent. Darnold, and this isn’t said lightly, may be the most underrated passer in the NFL in terms of pure arm ability. Last season in Minnesota was a prime example of what he can do, pushing the ball down the field and even on the move.
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“Or will it be the quarterback who earned an 85.8 grade over the first 17 weeks of the 2024 season and helped lead the Vikings to 14 wins? His late-season regression and playoff struggles were concerning, and he’ll be working with a less talented supporting cast in Seattle,” Kosko continued.
“This offseason brought a lot of turnover to the Seahawks, particularly on offense. They’ll enter 2025 with a new offensive coordinator, a new quarterback, and two new wide receivers on the outside. Despite all the moving pieces, headlined by quarterback Sam Darnold, Seattle appears to have a clear vision for its offense under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak,” said PFF analyst Dalton Wasserman.
Darnold may not have quite earned elite tier gratification, but when the season begins in September, he won’t be the 26th best starting quarterback in the NFL. Based off of his most recent play, Darnold should be around the middle of the pack. Anywhere from 14-18 would be respectable. The names in front of Darnold in most of these lists are just that, names.
Other notable quarterbacks often get propped up by their names, but Darnold has to fight against his despite the production and investment. The only way to continue rewriting history is to keep flourishing on the field.