Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) looks to the sidelines during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Texans at Lumen Field, on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Seattle. (Brian Hayes/[email protected])
Danny O’Neil1 / 2When Seahawks GM John Schneider offers to trade a quarterback, beware
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) looks to the sidelines during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Texans at Lumen Field, on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Seattle. (Brian Hayes/[email protected])1 / 2When Seahawks GM John Schneider offers to trade a quarterback, beware
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) looks to the sidelines during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Texans at Lumen Field, on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Seattle. (Brian Hayes/[email protected])2 / 2When Seahawks GM John Schneider offers to trade a quarterback, beware
Danny O’NeilDanny O’NeilWed, November 26, 2025 at 7:17 PM UTC·4 min readIf I owned an NFL team, I would forbid my general manager from even asking about acquiring a quarterback from John Schneider.
I don’t care if the quarterback in question made the Pro Bowl nine times in his first 10 seasons in the NFL (as Russell Wilson did). I don’t care how well my coach knew this quarterback (as Pete Carroll most certainly did).
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe past four years provide pretty clear evidence that if Schneider is willing to trade his quarterback it’s because that dude is about to turn into a pumpkin.
It happened to Wilson pretty much the minute he arrived in Denver. It has been even worse for Geno Smith in Las Vegas. He has as many interceptions as touchdown passes, having thrown 13 of each. On Sunday, after being sacked 10 times (!!!) by the Cleveland Browns, Smith waved a single digit in the direction of some fans as he left the field. This was particularly problematic because Smith was at home, and he was not waggling his pointer finger to tell those folks the Raiders were No. 1.
But I don’t want to sound like I’m celebrating Smith’s struggles. He was better in his three years with the Seahawks than anyone had the right to expect, and while it’s pretty clear that Seattle upgraded at quarterback with Sam Darnold, let’s not forget that Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald spent the first few months of the offseason professing their faith in Smith. The team even offered Smith a contract extension.
It’s only when Smith turned up his nose at the offer, choosing not even to counter, that Seattle decided to move on, accepting a third-round pick to trade him to Las Vegas where he reunited with Carroll.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementI’m revisiting this particular event because it provides a window into the two main components of Schneider’s decision-making process when it comes to quarterbacks. It could also turn out to be something of a road map for how the Seahawks might navigate their future with Darnold.
Rule 1: Don’t overcommit at quarterback.
It’s impossible to overstate just how rare this is in a league where teams are downright desperate to find a franchise player at that position. They’re constantly talking themselves into the idea that a good quarterback is about to become great or that a rookie quarterback might be even better.
Smith was a good quarterback in Seattle. The Seahawks had never had a losing record in his three years as a starter, and he was a very effective passer in spite of spotty pass protection.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSchneider wanted to keep him. He just didn’t want to keep him so much that he was willing to offer the kind of contract Smith was looking for. He didn’t want to make that big of a commitment.
This restraint is crucial because while Schneider does seem to have a good feel for quarterbacks, he’s certainly not perfect. He did trade for Charlie Whitehurst once upon a time.
He also signed Matt Flynn as a free agent and thinks enough of Drew Lock that he’s now acquired him twice.
None of those were franchise-defining decisions, though. They were moderate bets on someone Schneider believed had potential. It’s worth noting that Schneider finally found that player not with some all-in bet or big draft-day trade. He used a third-round pick on a quarterback that many people thought was too small. Once Wilson had demonstrated that he was a bona fide franchise cornerstone, Seattle offered him a franchise-defining contract.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt’s also worth noting that the prospect of Wilson’s next contract might have been one of the factors that made Seattle more amenable to his desire for a trade.
Rule 2: Don’t be afraid of uncertainty.
That’s easier said than done, especially at quarterback. While nature is said to abhor a vacuum, NFL teams might be even more hostile to the idea of letting go of an established starter without an obvious upgrade already in place.
Yet Schneider has done that three times in his 16 seasons in charge of the Seahawks roster. First, he replaced Matt Hasselbeck with Tarvaris Jackson in 2011. Then he traded Wilson to Denver in 2022 followed by this year’s deal that send Smith to Las Vegas.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEach move was seen as risky at the time. None came back to really bit the Seahawks in the keister. While I would not categorize Jackson as an upgrade over Hasselbeck, the Seahawks did not get worse in a season that wound up being a bridge to the greatest run in franchise history. The trades of Wilson and Smith, on the other hand, looked prescient almost immediately, and they go a long way toward explaining how the Seahawks are sitting here at 8-3 with a quarterback who could turn out to be the long-term starter.
We’re going to have to wait and see on that one, though. Schneider’s not the kind of guy who rushes into commitments at quarterback.
And if he does, at some point in the future, become willing to trade Darnold, buyer beware. The quarterbacks that Schneider trades have a demonstrated tendency to be near their expiration date.
Danny O’Neil was born in Oregon, the son of a logger, but had the good sense to attend college in Washington. He’s covered Seattle sports for 20 years, writing for two newspapers, one glossy magazine and hosting a daily radio show for eight years on KIRO 710 AM. You can subscribe to his free newsletter and find his other work at dannyoneil.com.
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