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Brady Henderson
RENTON, Wash. — One month earlier than he stepped onto the observe discipline for the primary time as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, Sam Darnold confirmed the anticipation and decisiveness that any good quarterback wants.
Darnold was fielding questions at his introductory information convention in March, figuring out one would ultimately come addressing the disastrous end to his 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings. When requested what he realized from that have, the Seahawks’ new quarterback took it head-on.
“I used to be ready for somebody to deliver that up,” stated Darnold, seated on stage at Seahawks headquarters between head coach Mike Macdonald and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. “I respect that. No, it is truthful, man.”
Darnold, taken with the third general choose by the New York Jets in 2018, resurrected his profession in Minnesota, throwing 35 landing passes in a Professional Bowl marketing campaign.
After going 21-35 as a starter whereas taking part in for 3 different groups over his first six NFL seasons, he led the Vikings to a 14-2 report over their first 16 video games. However his bounce-back season ended with him struggling in back-to-back blowout losses, the second of which noticed him take 9 sacks within the wild-card spherical towards the Los Angeles Rams.
“I feel with the ability to get the ball out a bit bit faster … and even when a man is roofed, even when my again’s lined on a checkdown, simply throwing it at his ft,” he stated reflecting on what he’d do in another way. “I really feel like I used to be taking some pointless sacks final yr, particularly these previous few video games.”
Even earlier than the playoff loss, Darnold’s 7.7% sack fee within the common season was Tenth-highest amongst certified quarterbacks. That was partly a product of declining play from an offensive line that misplaced left deal with Christian Darrisaw midseason, however Darnold did not assist issues along with his propensity to carry onto the ball. His common time earlier than throw was 3.08 seconds, slower than 33 certified QBs.
Therein lies one of many realities in regards to the Seahawks’ offensive outlook that tends to get ignored. The offensive line struggled final season to guard Geno Smith, whose 7.7% sack fee was a hair behind Darnold’s. Nonetheless, Seattle made just one vital improve to its line — drafting left guard Gray Zabel with the 18th general choose — resulting in an oft-asked query about whether or not the staff did sufficient up entrance this offseason to place Darnold for fulfillment.
However the offensive line is just one a part of what the Seahawks hope is a greater equation for retaining their quarterback upright in 2025. They’re additionally anticipating new coordinator Klint Kubiak to resolve a few of final season’s issues along with his scheme and playcalling, they usually’re banking on Darnold succeeding the place he failed throughout his disappointing end to 2024.
“I will positively be occupied with that,” he stated, referring to his struggles over the ultimate two video games, “retaining two palms on the ball within the pocket always. Simply doing all of the little basic issues, however that is an enormous one, is with the ability to simply get the ball out on time.”
FOR ANY QUARTERBACK to have an opportunity to reach Seattle, the Seahawks wanted to repair a number of issues with their offense this offseason– beginning with the coordinator.
In a Week 9 house loss to the Rams that maybe greatest illustrated their struggles on that aspect of the ball in 2024, Smith — who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in March — threw three interceptions, two coming within the pink zone. He was sacked seven instances whereas taking part in behind a line that was right down to its fourth choice at proper deal with (rookie Michael Jerrell), and whose struggling middle (Connor Williams) would abruptly retire earlier than the following recreation. Needing only one yard to maintain a possible game-winning drive alive in time beyond regulation, Seattle was stuffed for no achieve on consecutive operating performs.
The efficiency uncovered flaws within the Seahawks’ quarterback, offensive line and run recreation — in addition to in then-coordinator Ryan Grubb’s strategy. Grubb had Smith within the shotgun on a season-high 90.5% of the snaps that day, together with the primary of the 2 failed operating performs in OT. And he made Smith a sitting duck, with solely two of the quarterback’s dropbacks getting him outdoors the pocket.
The Seahawks offensive line was overmatched at numerous spots from a expertise perspective in 2024, however Grubb’s system and playcalling performed a job in its underperformance, resulting in his firing someday after the season finale.
Enter Kubiak.
The brand new coordinator is, in a number of methods, a 180 from the man he is changing. Whereas Grubb was a lifelong faculty coach earlier than Macdonald employed him final yr, Kubiak is in his twelfth NFL season and third full-time stint as an OC. He runs his model of the Kyle Shanahan system, whereas Grubb was attempting to show {that a} prolific, pass-heavy faculty offense — run principally out of the shotgun — may succeed on the professional degree. Kubiak’s, however, will probably be operated extra from beneath middle, and it’ll lean on a run recreation that focuses on the surface zone whereas additionally using a fullback.
“Zone stuff is coming off the ball and operating,” Seahawks basic supervisor John Schneider stated. “Anytime you may [enforce] your will on any person else first, particularly as an offensive lineman, instilling confidence in these guys is big. So while you’re backed up and also you’re sitting on the 1-yard line and also you’re sitting in shotgun and also you’re throwing the crud out of it, that does not assist these guys’ confidence.”
With Kubiak calling performs for New Orleans final season, the Saints had the league’s fourth-lowest shotgun share. In addition they had the third-highest fee of passing makes an attempt from outdoors the pocket, which displays how bootlegs are a staple of his scheme because the pure complement to outdoors zone rushes.
What does that imply for Darnold? Count on Kubiak to place him on the run and make him a transferring goal for move rushers.
“Simply transferring the launch level is part of what we do when we’ve the chance to do it,” stated Kubiak, who was the 49ers’ passing recreation coordinator in 2023 whereas Darnold was backing up Brock Purdy. “Prolong the down longer and push the ball down the sector. I feel if we’re all the time staying in between the 2 guards, it simply makes life loads more durable for the sign caller, so I am attempting to assist him out.”
Having coordinated a few of faculty soccer’s most pass-heavy offenses, Grubb vowed to be extra balanced beneath the defensive-minded Macdonald. That did not come to fruition, as Seattle ranked twenty eighth in speeding and twenty ninth in designed rush share. As proper deal with Abraham Lucas put it, operating the ball will probably be a “nonnegotiable” beneath Kubiak.
“We’re attempting to be elite at only a few issues, however these few issues are what the offense goes to be primarily based round, and that is the run recreation,” Lucas stated. “We’ll be elite on the run recreation. That is the philosophy with it.”
The Seahawks are hoping that Lucas’ balky proper knee will maintain up after limiting him to 13 video games over the previous two seasons. In addition they hope they’re higher ready to switch him if want be after signing Josh Jones to be their swing deal with.
With holdovers from final season competing at proper guard (Anthony Bradford, Christian Haynes, Sataoa Laumea) and middle (Olu Oluwatimi, Jalen Sundell), Zabel could be the solely newcomer to the beginning 5.
Schneider and Macdonald expect Kubiak and his scheme to make a distinction in Seattle’s skill to maintain Darnold clear.
“I feel [the new offense] permits the quarterback to play decisive,” Macdonald stated.
“NO PEEKING, NO peeking, no peeking,” Andrew Janocko says to Darnold proper after the snap throughout an OTA drill, reminding the quarterback to totally promote the play faux earlier than he pulls the ball again in and rolls out on a bootleg.
“Ball’s gotta go!” the quarterbacks coach shouts throughout a minicamp drill that practices quick-game throws.
After Kubiak was employed, he introduced Janocko, John Benton (O-line coach) and Rick Dennison (run recreation coordinator/senior offensive adviser) with him from New Orleans whereas additionally reuniting with Justin Outten (run recreation specialist/assistant O-line coach), whom he knew from their time along with the Denver Broncos.
The Seahawks’ hope that teaching continuity will make for a smoother transition to Kubiak’s offense than what they skilled final yr with Grubb, who introduced just one assistant (O-line coach Scott Huff) with him from the College of Washington.
“It is actually essential, particularly simply on this system,” Macdonald stated. “The connection and the element and similar to the shared understanding about what’s anticipated in regards to the timing and the angles and all any such stuff, it was capable of get off the bottom. So you may really feel it on the market. You’ll be able to really feel it within the rooms. The fellows have an understanding of what is anticipated on any given play and all of the ideas.”
Certainly one of Janocko’s most essential duties will probably be getting Darnold to play on time. Over his first 5 seasons, he had the eighth-highest sack fee amongst certified quarterbacks at 7.2%, whereas his common time earlier than throw of two.92 seconds ranked thirty fourth in that span.
Darnold’s efficiency over the Seahawks’ 5 offseason practices that have been open to reporters was a blended bag, lowlighted by a number of performs that ended with the quarterback not getting the ball out of his palms.
Darnold must enhance that a part of his recreation, and along with his three-year, $100.5 million contract containing a possible out for the Seahawks after one season if he have been to falter in 2025, he’ll should do it rapidly.
“That is a steadiness of taking part in quarterback,” Darnold stated. “I feel that is generally the toughest half about it’s understanding ‘OK, do I give this sufficient time to develop and it could be open? Or do I simply examine it down as a result of the frenzy could be coming?’ That is all the time type of the dichotomy of taking part in quarterback on the whole. That is the enjoyable half about our job is we get to make selections like that.”
