Sam Darnold just helped the Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl 60, earned a Pro Bowl nod, and put together the kind of season that should have his value trending up. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, though, sees it differently.
Barnwell included Darnold in a group of players he labeled as “Missing out: Sam Darnold, LB Ernest Jones IV, RB Jadarian Price,” and questioned whether the Seahawks quarterback would really draw first-round-pick value in a trade. As Barnwell put it: "Darnold played well enough to lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl and was excellent for stretches in 2025, but would teams really be willing to give up a first-round pick for the well-traveled Jets draftee?"
That’s a surprising take considering how Darnold’s career has swung back into shape over the last two seasons. After producing for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, he followed that up with a strong 2025 for Seattle in the first year of his contract.
The numbers back up the case for a major valuation. Darnold threw for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns and a 67.7% completion rate during the regular season, and he was selected to his second Pro Bowl. He also finished with the most turnovers in the NFL, but that issue disappeared when the games mattered most.
In three playoff games against the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots, Darnold completed 61.5% of his passes and totaled 672 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions.
He may not be the flashiest quarterback, and the turnover problem is still part of the conversation, but after the season he just put together, Darnold looks like the kind of player who should absolutely be worth a first-round pick. Barnwell’s projection lands as a strange one, especially for a quarterback who proved he could lead a team all the way to a Super Bowl.
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