RENTON — There are obvious similarities between the Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback situation in 2012 and the current setup with Sam Darnold and rookie Jalen Milroe.
Darnold is the high-priced, free-agent signee, just as Matt Flynn was in 2012. Milroe was drafted in the third round to be a backup, just as Russell Wilson was that same offseason. Wilson took Flynn’s job that preseason and never looked back.
There are obvious differences as well. Flynn’s contract, even adjusted for the rising salary cap (his three-year, $26 million deal would equate to $60 million on the 2025 cap), wasn’t nearly as lucrative as Darnold’s three-year, $100.5 million deal. Darnold is also a better player and far more proven commodity than Flynn was. Wilson was also a more refined passer than Milroe, who is entering the league with questions about his ability to do the basics the position requires: throw accurately, on time and go through progressions. The main blemish on Wilson’s scouting report at the time was his height.
But the most important difference between the two situations is how the head coaches are going about it. Former coach Pete Carroll allowed for a quarterback competition. Second-year coach Mike Macdonald is not doing so — Darnold is the starter, and Milroe is one of two backups, along with Drew Lock (who would be Tarvaris Jackson, if we’re sticking with the 2012 comparison).
During a KIRO-AM radio interview Tuesday, Macdonald was asked if there was a chance for Darnold to be unseated for a reason other than injury. The question came in the context of Darnold throwing multiple interceptions in Monday’s practice, the first open to the media this offseason.
“You guys are crazy,” Macdonald said. “I respect you’ve got to ask it, but this is a crazy question. It’s not going to happen. Sam’s our starting quarterback. We love him. He’s doing a tremendous job.”
Darnold has taken most of the snaps in the two organized team activities open to the media this week (Wednesday’s practice was the fifth of the spring). Lock is operating as QB2, and then Milroe has taken the remaining reps with the third-string unit. Macdonald has said Milroe will have the opportunity to earn regular snaps, and if he comes into a game, the Seahawks will accentuate his strengths as a dual-threat player who can stress the defense as a runner. But we might not see that until training camp.
On Wednesday, Darnold said spending time with Lock and Milroe in the quarterback room has “been great.”
“It’s just amazing to be able to share that room and have some great guys that are not only eager to learn but also guys that are great dudes that can also hang out,” he said.
Macdonald called Darnold to give him a heads-up before selecting Milroe with the 92nd pick in April. “It was cool” for Macdonald to reach out, Darnold said.
“At the end of the day,” he added, “communication is key.”
Asked about the selection of Milroe, Darnold said: “I love J. I see why they took him. Just a great dude who can sling the rock. And he’s a great athlete as well.”
In his first news conference since Milroe was drafted, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said Wednesday that the former Alabama quarterback’s work ethic is what initially stands out.
“The guy is a worker,” Kubiak said. “You see him in there at 4:30 in the morning on the field going through his plays. Nobody asked him to do that, but he’s putting in extra time. I’ve seen him grow a lot from rookie minicamp to now, so I’ve been impressed with the kid.”
Kubiak also called the rookie a “heck of an athlete.”
“The guy is putting a lot of time in learning a brand new way of communicating an offense,” he said. “His ability to make plays with his feet. He’s got excellent arm strength, great athleticism, and he’s in the process of having his mind catch up to his feet. And the whole offense is doing that, learning a new system. But he’s doing a heck of a job at it thus far.”
When asked how he’ll determine when to insert the specialty package for a second quarterback, Kubiak said: “They’ve got to go earn it in practice. When they show it, that’s when it’s time.”
Having a clear QB1 should help the other players on offense as they try to build chemistry and grow together in this new scheme. The foundation of the offense will be the outside-zone running scheme, but to maximize efficiency when it’s time to pass, small details can make a big difference. Those are sorts of things Darnold is working on with his collection of new pass catchers.
“With any receiver, it’s getting to know the body language and how they’re running routes and then being able to talk to them, on and off the field,” Darnold said when asked about getting to know Cooper Kupp specifically. “Being able to know what he’s thinking in a route versus a certain coverage. Trying to get behind a linebacker, maybe he’s going to throttle it down. Little details like that.
“It’s been great not only talking to Coop about that stuff, but all the guys.”
In the first team period on the goal line during Monday’s practice, Darnold ripped a touchdown over the middle to Kupp. In a seven-on-seven red zone period, he was picked off by safety Julian Love while trying to squeeze a pass to Kupp in the end zone. Then Darnold and Kupp connected for a touchdown a few plays later. There are going to be ups and downs like that in virtually every practice between now and the season opener because of the talent in Seattle’s secondary. That’s why the starting QB needs to make time to establish a rapport with his top targets.
Darnold and Kubiak were together in San Francisco during the 2023 season. Seattle’s current scheme is rooted in similar principles but with other unique elements tailored to what players on the roster do best. Darnold’s familiarity is important as everyone tries to get up to speed quickly.
“He’s studying, he’s teaching the young guys, helping get the system taught, as well as guys like Cooper Kupp,” Kubiak said. “Really impressed with Sam thus far.”
Said Darnold: “I told the guys, ‘Any questions that you’ve got, come up to me and ask me anything.’ That’s the biggest thing, continuing to talk back and forth with the guys about certain routes and the details.”
The play of the offensive line will determine what type of year Darnold and his pass catchers will have. Three of the five spots are settled. Tackle Charles Cross and first-round rookie guard Grey Zabel will hold down the left side. The right tackle spot belongs to Abe Lucas, finally healthy after consecutive seasons dealing with a knee injury. Olu Oluwatimi and Jalen Sundell are competing to be the starting center.
As for right guard?
“It’s wide open, brother,” Kubiak said.
Christian Haynes and Anthony Bradford appear to be the two primary guys battling for that spot, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sataoa Laumea enter the mix at some point. Lucas said the offensive line can be as good as it wants because the team has the right players, coaches and identity, which he believes is different from last season.
“Everybody wants to run the ball,” Lucas said when describing the change in identity, calling it a “non-negotiable” in Kubiak’s scheme. “We put a fullback in the backfield. We’re changing it up. We’re doing this differently. It’s like an old-school mentality with a new-school principal. Looking forward to getting after that.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
