On Friday, the Seattle Seahawks made the surprising move to trade Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick. Hours after the deal broke, it was also announced that the Seahawks were setting their sights on signing Sam Darnold, the most sought-after free agent at the moment. However, former Seattle legend Richard Sherman isn’t quite convinced that Darnold is an upgrade over who the team had at the helm.
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Sherman was candid when evaluating the trade on his YouTube channel. He first mentioned that Darnold will be significantly more expensive than Geno, which will impact the cap space.
He then pointed out that Darnold could end up re-signing with the Vikings, leaving Seattle empty-handed. The former CB also offered a bold take when comparing the two as playmakers.
“I’m not sure he’s better… I think that’s a lateral move, at best. What you lose is the mobility of Geno Smith… Sam Darnold is a pocket passer with some mobility, but not as much as Geno, even at 35.”
Sherman questioned what the move meant for DK Metcalf too. Will the team sign him to a new contract or trade him? According to sources, there was a deal on the table with the Green Bay Packers for Dontayvion Wicks and a first-round pick that they shot down. Seattle reportedly wants a first and third-rounder for DK.
But what Sherman pointed out about Geno’s mobility compared to Darnold’s is puzzling. Geno is far from a quarterback with elite mobility. In fact, since taking over as Seattle’s starter three seasons ago, he has totaled just 793 rushing yards on 158 attempts.
For comparison, Darnold has rushed for 705 yards in his last three full seasons as a starter. Neither is known for their legs, but that doesn’t mean they can’t move the chains when needed. Last season, both had over 17 runs for a first down.
Rushing-wise, it can be seen as a lateral move. But passing-wise, Darnold had the better season in 2024. He threw for over 4,000 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Geno, on the other hand, also threw for 4,000 yards, but it was mostly empty yardage; he finished with just 21 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions. One quarterback appears to be on the upswing of his career (Darnold), while the other seems to be on the downswing (Geno).
Even so, Sherman remains adamant that the Seahawks would have been better off keeping Geno rather than looking for a solution in Darnold.
“But you had Geno Smith in-house. You knew what you had and what you were getting out of him. Maybe they know something I don’t and clearly they do, they have to. But right now I don’t see a clear plan, and if they don’t know something this is an insane move to move off of somebody who’s affordable, reliable, accurate, has a rapport with your receivers, has a great love for the city, and does his job. I don’t know.”
Keeping Geno could have been the safer route for Seattle. Or, at the very least, they should have locked up Darnold before making the deal. Nevertheless, it’s now time for this franchise to start taking risks instead of playing it safe, as they have for the last three seasons.
After the trade broke, it was reported that Seattle’s original plan was to package DK into the deal with Geno, which would’ve netted them, Maxx Crosby, in return. But Vegas surely laughed off the idea. After all, the team just made him the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL.
Instead, the Raiders got the quarterback they needed for the time being and only had to part with a third-round pick to get him. But what a home run swing the Seahawks attempted.
For Seattle, this is a risky time. As of now, Sam Howell is set to be the starter in 2025. If they want Darnold, they better make a strong push in the bidding war — several teams will be vying for his services.
