Shaun Alexander: Sam Darnold a good risk for Seahawks

USA Today

a day ago

The Seattle Seahawks have undergone plenty of high-profile changes since the calendar turned to 2024. Mike Macdonald was hired as the franchise's ninth head coach last January. This year, Seattle traded Geno Smith, signed Sam Darnold to a contract worth over $100 million, traded DK Metcalf and signed Cooper Kupp to play in his native state.
Will the changes result in tangible improvement?
The Seahawks haven't clinched a playoff berth since 2022 and haven't won a postseason game since the 2019 season, but former Seahawks great Shaun Alexander believes the team is on the cusp of something special.
'Coach McDonald, his style, his personality, I think the way he's doing it is going to be very beneficial for us. The Seahawk family is in a good place to go on a great run,' Alexander said to USA TODAY Sports on behalf of USAA's Salute to Service Bootcamp. 'Last year, we were the only team with 10 wins and not make the playoffs.'
The Seahawks were a part of the quarterback carousel this offseason when they sent Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders and signed Darnold during free agency. Darnold is coming off an impressive 2024 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings in which he recorded career-highs in most major quarterback statistical categories. He became the first QB in NFL history to record 14 wins in his first season with a team and his performance earned him his first ever Pro Bowl nod.
But Darnold's been a journeyman quarterback for a majority of his career. Seattle's his fifth team in eight seasons.
The big question is whether Darnold's lone Pro Bowl year in Minnesota was an anomaly or a sign of things to come? Seattle signed the 28-year-old quarterback to a three-year contract. However, the structure of the deal enables the Seahawks to cut Darnold after just one season and the club drafted an insurance plan in the third-round of the 2025 draft in Alabama product Jalen Milroe.
'I'm one of those people like, is the risk? Yes, but is it a good risk? Yes. One hand, I love Geno I thought he was very good for our team… Here we are with Sam, I think he's gonna be a good quarterback,' Alexander explained. 'Sam is a fine NFL quarterback that if put in the right situation, he can look really good.'
Alexander is the Seahawks' all-time leading rusher. Suitably, he thinks Darnold is in a good offensive situation because of the current Seattle running back, Kenneth Walker, who could be motivated because he's on an expiring contract.
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'I've always thought he was a steal. I always thought he was a jewel of a running back. I think a healthy him gives us a shot in every game. He could look like he just passively is going to put up 100 yards and score a touchdown,' Alexander said. 'He's gonna be in a good place to have a great year this year.'
Is Darnold going to be the franchise QB the Seahawks are paying him to be? It's one of the more fascinating questions entering the season. Although, akin to all quarterbacks, the answer is largely dependent upon his surrounding parts.
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