Latest news with #Darnold
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
A QB controversy in Seattle? Maybe coaches don't want it, but I'm all for it
For several reasons, I hope Jalen Milroe is the Seahawks' starting quarterback when they play their first regular season game against the 49ers on Sept. 7th. If that happens, it would mean the next three months would be filled with all kinds of uncertainty and upheaval featuring lackluster Sam Darnold practices and preseason performances along with shining moments for Milroe. And heck, I even forgot about Drew Lock being here for the second time with the Seahawks - who in the world knows why they brought him back? Wait, I'll answer that question, it must be insurance against Milroe being so bad with his accuracy that they couldn't possibly go into the season with him as the backup quarterback. The Seahawks opened their Organized Team Activities last week, but this week is the first time the media was allowed to watch. At Monday's practice, the News Tribune's Gregg Bell noted that Lock looked the best of the three QBs with Darnold throwing two red zone interceptions and Milroe being largely off-target with his passes. In the Seahawks' ideal scenario, they must hope that Darnold seizes the first-string QB job and justifies the $100.5 million, three-year deal they gave him. That would allow Milroe time to develop as a possible starter in time. Maybe it's my sports radio background that fuels a different kind of ideal scenario for me - I'm all in on a quarterback controversy, and I don't care if they paid Darnold a fortune, indicating initially that they'll go with him no matter what. This situation is ripe for questions about who should start for the Seahawks. Let me be clear about this - I'm terrible at gauging quarterback battles. Three years ago I bet $500 with Jason Puckett, my former partner at KJR-FM, that Lock would beat out Geno Smith for the starting job. Geno won that competition by a mile, maybe even a mile and a half. There's a reason why Milroe lasted until the third round - he struggled with consistency as a passer but more than made up for it with his legs, rushing for 20 touchdowns at Alabama, a skill set that makes him highly appealing at the NFL level. Maybe he could be the next Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts. Then again, maybe he'll flame out like Trey Lance. I just think Milroe will flash often enough in preseason games to give the Seahawks a tough decision. And part of that has to do with not completely buying into Darnold as a QB you can trust. It sounds stupid to say that about a guy who threw for 4,319 yards and 35 TDs as he led the Vikings to a 14-3 record. Imagine saying you weren't all in on Darnold after he passed for 347 yards and five TDs against the Falcons last year. But he ruined his beautiful season by creating doubts in his last two games. In the final regular season game against Detroit with the No. 1 NFC playoff seed on the line, he went 18 for 41 for 166 yards in a 31-9 loss. Then in the Vikings' first and only playoff game, Darnold was sacked nine times and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. After that abysmal game, FOX analyst Troy Aikman said Darnold's poor play would have a big impact on his future. 'These are the games that matter,' Aikman said. 'That's what you're judged on.' Before the game against the Lions, Darnold was projected to get a contract averaging in the neighborhood of $50 million a season - he ended up at $33.5 million. And think about this for a second: If he were so damn good, why did the Vikings let him go to free agency? Yeah, I know, they want to give the job to J.J. McCarthy, but to hand it over to an untested rookie instead of a seasoned veteran who just led your squad to a franchise record 14 wins? In that Rams' game, Darnold looked like the quarterback who said he was seeing ghosts in 2019 when he played on Monday Night Football against the Patriots. The Jets lost that one 31-0 with Darnold throwing four interceptions. He never really distinguished himself in his stops in New York, Carolina and San Francisco before landing in Minnesota. Perhaps he's turned the corner and become the QB he was expected to be when he was drafted No. 3 overall in 2018. Or perhaps he'll always show signs of why he's bounced around to five teams in seven years. I'm guessing head coaches don't like quarterback controversies, but Mike Macdonald didn't help matters by saying after the draft that Darnold would take more than 90 percent of the snaps this year. That tells us Milroe will be on the field for 7 or 8 percent of the snaps with the Seahawks wanting to take advantage of his speed. Will Milroe be used in the red zone? Will he be given a series in the second quarter as a changeup to Darnold, maybe to give defenses more to think about? If I'm Darnold, I'm out on any of these options. I'm thinking why the hell did you give me $100 million if you're not going to give me 100 percent of the snaps? We all know this wouldn't be precedent-setting if Milroe starts over Darnold. In 2012 the Seahawks drafted Russell Wilson in the third round after signing free agent Matt Flynn in the offseason. Flynn was supposed to start until he somehow came down with what was termed a 'soggy' arm before a preseason game in Kansas City. Wilson was spectacular against the Chiefs and won the job. Milroe was also drafted in the third round. The similarities to Wilson 13 years ago could end there or maybe we'll see it happen again and Milroe will become a franchise quarterback right out of the gate. Sign me up for that. No sense in going with a place-holder if you have a difference-maker who's ready to go in Jalen Milroe. Jim Moore has covered Washington's sports scene from every angle for multiple news outlets. He appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. on Jason Puckett's podcast at He writes a Substack blog at You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) @cougsgo.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
NFL Vet, Analsyt believes Vikings still aren't sold on J.J. McCarthy going into 2025
NFL Vet, Analsyt believes Vikings still aren't sold on J.J. McCarthy going into 2025 Growing up there was "The Song that Never Ends" that we all sang to annoy our friends and family. Or maybe it was just me? Regardless, the Vikings have found their own version of that with a certain news story that refuses to leave the cycle. During a recent appearance on Skol North's Purple Daily, Ross Tucker spoke about the Vikings quarterback situation. He discussed how, despite the team being all in on J.J. McCarthy, he was not really their first choice. "No matter what the Vikings say about J.J. McCarthy... they wanted (Sam) Darnold back. And then when they weren't going to get Darnold back, they wanted Daniel Jones back... As much as they're "sold" on J.J. McCarthy, they weren't that sold... so (the Vikings) have some doubt." The team let Darnold walk to sign a $100 million contract with the Seahawks in free agency in March. The Vikings traded up to draft McCarthy in last year's NFL Draft while they had Darnold under a one-year deal. While the idea of them wanting to keep Darnold around after going 14-3, the way the season ended put the proverbial nail in the coffin. If you need further validation, they are all in on McCarthy; look at the comments coming out about their new quarterback from veterans on the team.
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Seahawks' Sam Darnold Doesn't Hold Back About Brock Purdy
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. There is no love between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. The two teams have been rivals in the NFC West and the fan bases do not like each other very much. Just like the fans, the teams bring a little extra to the field when they play. This season, there will be a new quarterback matchup between the two squads. Sam Darnold is the new quarterback for the Seahawks. After starting last season and putting up big numbers with the Minnesota Vikings, Darnold will look to take Seattle back to being a serious contender in the NFC. Brock Purdy, on the other hand, will be looking to turn the 49ers around after a tough 2024 season. Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings looks to pass against the Atlanta Falcons during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 08, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings looks to pass against the Atlanta Falcons during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 08, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo byOf course, Darnold played the 2023 season with San Francisco. He was the backup behind Purdy and the two developed a friendship. Read more: 49ers Urged to Pursue New Proven Weapon for Brock Purdy Ahead of the upcoming campaign, Darnold spoke out about Purdy. He did not hold back from crediting the young 49ers quarterback with helping turn his career around. "Brock helped me a ton," Darnold said. "With certain things of how to prepare and even just watching him play. Just how he processes on the field and all those certain things." He continued on, revealing more of the lessons that he learned from his time in San Francisco. "I think that's the biggest thing that I learned going there was just to trust the progressions and if something is not there, trust it, and move on to the next one and the next one," he said. "If that's not there, then be able to make a play potentially, but understand where my outs are. If I'm hot, understand where my hot is. If I need to hang in the pocket, understand where I can potentially throw the ball away if there's pressure. They taught me so much about playing good football, and I'm forever thankful for my time there." Read more: Vikings Reportedly Concerned With JJ McCarthy All of the lessons that he learned with the 49ers paid off during the 2024 season with the Vikings. Darnold played in all 17 regular season games, completing 66.2 percent of his pass attempts for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Behind those impressive numbers, Darnold led Minnesota to a 14-3 record. Unfortunately, the Vikings lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Rams. Landing with the Seahawks on a three-year, $100.5 million contract, Darnold will now have a chance to prove that he wasn't just a product of Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell's system. He will also be competing directly with his old team and close friend in the same division. For more Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
1st on-field impressions of the Seahawks' all-new QBs Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe
It's early June. The season doesn't start for another three-plus months. So yes, they are mere first impressions. Then again, that's what everything is about the Seahawks' offense right now. Specifically at the sport's most important position. Seattle's all-new quarterbacks were on the field in an open practice Monday, for the first time since the team completely remodeled the position and offense in March. The new QBs had varied performances the first time throwing on the field as Seahawks in front of reporters. Clear starter Sam Darnold threw two interceptions in three red-zone plays. Pro Bowl safety Julian Love jumped a hook route in the back of the end zone by new wide receiver Cooper Kupp, the former Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl MVP from Yakima. Then cornerback Josh Jobe, getting time as the starting right cornerback when Devon Witherspoon played inside at nickel defensive back, dived inside Jaxon Smith-Njigba at the sideline to intercept Darnold's pass into the end zone. Darnold's starting offense struggled to the point new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak let Darnold know about it, loudly, as the QB stood in the huddle between plays. The starting defense loved that. Darnold is coming off a 14-3 Vikings season that earned him a three-year, $100.5 million contract days. He signed that in March, days after Seattle traded Geno Smith to Pete Carroll's Las Vegas Raiders. Witherspoon was asked after practice Monday for his impression of Darnold the Seahawks versus what the Pro Bowl cornerback saw on film studying Darnold to prepare for the Seahawks playing the Vikings late last season. 'You know, he's got his strengths, he's got his weaknesses — like every quarterback,' Witherspoon said. 'Now that he's on our team, he's going to go out there and make a lot of plays for us. We put a lot of trust in him, and I believe he's going to deliver.' Asked about Kupp as a Ram versus now having the veteran wide receiver as a Seahawks teammate, Witherspoon smiled. 'Now, that's different,' Witherspoon said. 'Just to get to line up against him and to see him every day in practice, the way he can run routes and make everything look the same, it's a good diversity. 'And then you've got Jaxon on the other side, I think that's going to help us a way lot better at corner.' Drew Lock, Darnold's backup, looked particularly sharp Monday. In his fourth offseason practice since the 28-year-old former Denver Broncos starter signed back with the Seahawks following a season as a New York Giants backup, Lock threw touchdown passes on two consecutive plays inside the 5-yard line. His dart of a throw stuck onto the outstretched hands of Cody White. The leaping wide receiver caught the ball past cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett at the back of the end zone. Lock pumped his right arm three times to celebrate that. Then Lock threw a touchdown pass inside the goal line to end an out route by rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo. Arroyo, the second-round pick from Miami, was mostly with the second offense Monday, though he did get some scrimmage plays with Darnold and the starters in substitution packages at receiver. Arroyo had multiple passes go off his hands incomplete. During 11-on-11 scrimmaging in the middle of the field, the right-handed Lock rolled to his left. He turned his shoulders and threw across his body on a line 25 yards down the field to the left sideline. Steven Sims, the veteran wide receiver signed this offseason as a free agent from the Baltimore Ravens, caught the ball and got the tips of both cleats inside the left sideline. Lock's throw had Seahawks general manager John Schneider walking from the sideline to in front of the portable video screen that shows replays of plays in practice. The GM exclaimed his wonder at the throw. Rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe, the third-round pick from Alabama last month, was way off on his first throw of the red-zone scrimmaging. His pass sailed 3 yards over the head of open wide receiver Ricky White beyond the back line of the end zone. On the next play, cornerback JT Woods reached in front of Arroyo and broke up a pass into the middle of the end zone. Milroe also missed behind receivers during 11-on-11 scrimmaging. Again, it's a first impression. But the day was an indication of Milroe's reputation entering the NFL: a potentially lethal runner at 6 feet 2 and 216 pounds, who rushed for 35 touchdowns and ran over linebackers his final two seasons at Alabama — and a project quarterback who needs to improve the fundamentals of his throwing.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Quarterback and head coach power rankings: Where do the Seahawks land?
Quarterback and head coach power rankings: Where do the Seahawks land? The theme of the Seattle Seahawks right now, and headed into 2025, is... unknown. There are a lot of unknowns with this team after undergoing a sizable rehaul earlier this offseason. General manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald are remaking the Seahawks in their image as they continue boldly going down this new path they're forging together. One of the biggest unknowns is quarterback Sam Darnold... specifically, what version of Sam Darnold will Seattle get? Is what we saw from Minnesota last year the real deal? Or was it a flash in the pan, "one-hit-wonder" and he will turn back into the proverbial pumpkin? It's a fair question to ask, considering Darnold has had exactly one (1) good year up to this point, and a lot of years that.... weren't so good. This unknown is why in a recent power ranking of quarterback/head coach duos, Mike Macdonald and Sam Darnold rank among the bottom third of the league. In NFL Spin Zone's ranking, Macdonald and Darnold are all the way down at No. 25 overall. Here is what NFL Spin Zone had to say: Sam Darnold was one of the NFL's biggest success stories last year and Mike Macdonald decided to clean house on the offensive side of the ball this offseason. Everyone is interested to see if Darnold can keep things going without being tethered to Kevin O'Connell, especially because he sort of came crashing back to earth as the season progressed in 2024. And he won't have Justin Jefferson anymore, either. Well, as far as "crashing back to earth as the season progressed" isn't quite accurate. Darnold played lights-out football down the stretch. It wasn't until the Week 18 finale in Detroit and the Wild Card game against the Rams when Darnold's "crash" began. But then again, in fairness, those were the two biggest games for the Vikings all season long... which is why doubt still persists for Darnold. And persist it will, as the burden of proof lies with Darnold and the Seahawks. For those interested... Sean McVay/Matthew Stafford came in at No. 4 on the list, followed by Kyle Shanahan/Brock Purdy at No. 8, and Jonathan Gannon/Kyler Murray at No. 20. Just ahead of Gannon and Murray were Pete Carroll and Geno Smith at No. 19 overall.
