Quarterback Sam Darnold has agreed on a three-year, $110.5m contract with the Seattle Seahawks, according to multiple reports.
Darnold had the best season of his career with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, leading the team to 14 wins and a playoff appearance. He replaces Geno Smith, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders last week. Darnold’s deal is reported to include $55m in guaranteed money.
Darnold, the No 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft by the New York Jets, thrived under AP Coach of the Year Kevin O’Connell’s guidance in 2024. He threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a passer rating of 102.5. Darnold also became the fourth player in NFL history to amass 12 games with multiple TD passes and a passer rating of 100 or higher in a season, joining Aaron Rodgers (14) Patrick Mahomes (13) and Matt Ryan (12).
But Darnold, who was picked for the Pro Bowl, had two of his worst games back to back when Minnesota needed him most. The Vikings had a chance to earn the NFC’s No 1 seed but lost 31-9 to Detroit in Week 18. They ended up as the No 5 seed and were dominated by the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs, who sacked Darnold nine times, intercepted him once and forced him into a lost fumble.
The move means JJ McCarthy, the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2024, is likely to be the team’s starting quarterback this coming season. McCarthy sat out last season through injury.
Meanwhile, the Jets appear to have filled their starting quarterback slot. They have reportedly come to terms with Justin Fields on a two-year, $40m deal. Fields was the No 11 overall pick in the 2021 draft when the Jets selected another quarterback, Zach Wilson, at No 2. Wilson has since left the team after a miserable career in New York, and was replaced by Aaron Rodgers, who also stumbled with a team beset by poor ownership and questionable personnel choices.
New York now will hope that Fields can revive his career with the Jets, who have a new regime in head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. Fields will be reunited with wide receiver Garrett Wilson, his former college teammate. Fields has passed for 7,780 yards and 45 touchdowns with 31 interceptions in 50 games, including 44 starts in four seasons. He has rushed for 19 scores.
Elsewhere on Monday, reports emerged that the Los Angeles Chargers will bring back edge rusher Khalil Mack with a one-year deal for a fully guaranteed $18m and part with running back Gus Edwards. Mack, who turned 34 last month, made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons with the Chargers. He has missed only one game in that span while recording 31 sacks and 49 quarterback hits in 50 starts. Edwards was released to save more than $3m against the 2025 salary cap.
In Tampa, Pro Bowl edge rusher Haason Reddick reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Buccaneers worth $14m. The deal is understood to include $12m guaranteed. Reddick is coming off a season in which he didn’t play until late October amid a contract-related holdout situation with the Jets, who obtained Reddick last March from the Philadelphia Eagles for a conditional 2026 draft pick.
The Bucs’ top free agent, Chris Godwin, has also reportedly opted to re-sign with the team rather than depart for more money elsewhere, signing a $66m, three-year contract.
The Washington Commanders, meanwhile, made two big splashes, reportedly agreeing to terms with defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and acquiring standout offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil in a trade with the Houston Texans. Coming off the best season-to-season improvement in franchise history – from 4-13 to 12-5 – and an improbable run to the NFC championship game in quarteeback Jayden Daniels’ spectacular rookie year, Washington had among the most salary cap space in the league, with more than $80m to spend before agreeing to terms with Kinlaw and trading for Tunsil.
Teams can’t officially sign free agents until Wednesday, the start of the new league year.
