Sam Darnold

only 69 attempts but 6 tds and the team is winning. nothing crazy, just solid. gets sacked a bunch tho, 3 times last week

gunslinger mode against washington, 4 tds but also 2 picks. glute thing has him in and out so it's hard to get a real read. when he's in rhythm he's really good on the deep ball and play action.

Darnold has fully earned the benefit of the doubt in Seattle. He is playing with confidence, a strong supporting cast and a system that retained its core ideas even with another coordinator change. The exciting part is that he still talks like a player chasing the next layer rather than protecting last year's story.

Strengths: Rhythm passing, toughness in the pocket and improved decision-making have turned him into a high-end operator. He can push the ball downfield, manage a balanced offense and has recently delivered when the postseason pressure gets real.

Weaknesses: He has to keep the occasional turnover streak from resurfacing, especially as a new play-caller adds wrinkles. The standard is now much higher, and forcing a throw when the offense is already strong is the quickest way to give opponents life.