NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports activities Illustrated beforehand revealed that quarterback Sam Darnold “actually did love the thought of enjoying for (Pittsburgh Steelers head coach) Mike Tomlin and (offensive coordinator) Arthur Smith” earlier than the Seattle Seahawks signed Darnold to a “three-year deal that might give him $37.5M in 12 months 1, a $55M damage assure and early-vesting roster bonuses of $15M and $10M in February 2026 and ’27.”
It seems cash is not the one cause that Darnold left the Minnesota Vikings for the Seahawks quite than for the Steelers.
“What appealed concerning the Seahawks to Darnold,” Breer wrote for a mailbag revealed on Wednesday, “…was that he’d legitimately get time to show himself as a viable long-term possibility for a crew. There was doubt he’d get that with the Minnesota Vikings, and negotiations with the Pittsburgh Steelers gave him no assurance of it, both. The Seahawks are going to provide him each probability to be that man.”
Breer’s replace concerning the Vikings is not all that stunning since it seems they’re going to need solely a short-term possibility in the event that they decide this spring that 2024 first-round draft choose J.J. McCarthy wants extra time to develop coming off the full meniscus repair he underwent final summer season. Nevertheless, the Steelers had been first linked with Darnold weeks earlier than they let Justin Fields attain free company. Pittsburgh reportedly was unwilling to vow Fields the beginning job for Week 1 of the 2025 season.
In the meantime, the Steelers are waiting to learn if they’re going to have an opportunity to signal Aaron Rodgers in free company earlier than the 2025 NFL Draft. Tomlin, Steelers basic supervisor Omar Khan and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth had dinner with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe on Tuesday.
If ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is true about signal-callers Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart all being top-nine picks, Pittsburgh could have to think about grabbing Milroe at choice No. 21.
Multiple analysts have steered throughout March that Darnold will flop with the Seahawks as he did in his final two games as a member of the Vikings. Maybe Tomlin and Co. shared such considerations, and that is why Darnold was given “no assurance” he’d “get time to show himself as a viable long-term possibility for” the Steelers.
