There was movement all around the league over the last couple of months. The San Francisco 49ers had to make some changes to their team, but they also saw former players find new homes.
In free agency, quarterback Sam Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks. That deal also featured $55 million guaranteed. He was brought there to be their franchise QB, but he appeared to be struggling in an OTA practice that was open to the media.
During Monday's practice, Darnold threw two interceptions in three red zone plays, according to Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune.
Following that shaky practice, it opened the conversations on whether he'll be their starter Day 1, and head coach Mike Macdonald quickly shut that down.
In an interview on Seattle Sports 710 AM on Tuesday, he said, "No, you guys are crazy. I respect that you've got to ask it, but it's just a crazy question. It's just not going to happen. Sam's our starting quarterback. We love him. He's doing a tremendous job."
Sam Darnold Struggled in Monday’s Practice
While it's just OTAs, this isn't the kind of report Seahawks fans want to see after Darnold got that massive contract. Meanwhile, 49ers fans are likely smiling at the news.
He's coming off the best year of his career. In 2024, with the Minnesota Vikings, he was fifth in the league in passing yards (4,319) and passing touchdowns (35). He also posted a career-best 66.2% completion percentage.
After spending the 2023 season in San Francisco as the backup, things appeared to take a turn in a positive direction for him.
It'll be interesting to see how his tenure in Seattle goes. Darnold has the talent teams look for, but throughout his career, he's struggled to take care of the football (68 interceptions).
San Francisco will get some first-hand glances at the former 49er twice a season, with the first matchup coming in Week 1.
He'll use the next few months to get used to his new teammates and scheme, but Darnold didn't have a good run on Monday.