Sam Darnold reportedly signing with Seattle Seahawks, ending his time with Minnesota Vikings
Sam Darnold, who had a surprisingly strong season as the Minnesota Vikings' starter last season, will sign with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency, according to NFL media.
The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said Darnold will earn a three-year, $100 million deal from the Seahawks, who traded their starting quarterback, Geno Smith, to the Las Vegas Raiders last week.
It's a huge pay bump for Darnold, who signed with the Vikings last offseason on a one-year, $10 million deal.
Darnold walking likely clears the way for second-year QB J.J. McCarthy to start for Minnesota. The Vikings drafted McCarthy 10th overall out of Michigan last April, but hoped to stash him for a year before handing him the reins. Their plans were concretized when he tore his meniscus in the preseason, landing him on injured reserve for the entirety of his rookie year.
The Vikings will still look to bring in a veteran to back up — or possibly even compete with — McCarthy, especially with Nick Mullens, Darnold's No. 2 last season, also reportedly leaving in free agency.
Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 regular season record behind 4,319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his lone year as their QB. He and the Vikings went 0-2 in the biggest games of the season, losing in Week 18 to the Detroit Lions with a shot at the NFC's No. 1 seed on the line and again the next week to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild card round.
