The San Francisco 49ers have their work cut out for them this offseason. After going 6-11 and missing out on the postseason, they need to make some meaningful additions in order to become one of the best seven teams in the NFC.
The 49ers already traded away Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders, and teams have called to inquire about Brandon Aiyuk.
San Francisco has $34 million available in cap space, according to Overthecap.com, so they can make a couple of solid additions. While they prepare for that, there are moves happening within the division.
On Friday, the Seattle Seahawks traded QB Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. Now they have a big hole at quarterback but are eyeing a former 49ers quarterback to fill in the void.
According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, decision-makers around the NFL expect Sam Darnold to sign a multi-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks.
As free agency approaches, the QB carousel is beginning to spin:
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 8, 2025
◽️ Decision makers around the league expect Sam Darnold to end up in Seattle on a multi-year deal
◽️ Minnesota will attempt to pivot and sign Daniel Jones, who is receiving interest from the Colts
◽️ The Vikings… pic.twitter.com/wu8NHBg4dW
Seahawks Are Eyeing Sam Darnold
Darnold was a member of the 49ers team during the 2023 season. He left in free agency and signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings last March.
He went on to have a career year with them, ranking fifth in the NFL in passing yards (4,319) and passing touchdowns (35) while completing 66% of his passes.
The Seahawks have $62 million in cap space, so they have the money to sign Darnold to a lucrative deal. The fact that he's only 27 years old could mean his best days are ahead of him. The USC product landing inside the division would give a rival a young signal caller they can build around.
While the 49ers are focused on rebuilding their roster, their division rivals are looking to make some significant changes as well. We'll have to see how things unfold in free agency, but if Darnold signs with the Seahawks, it's something that should catch the attention of San Francisco.