The San Francisco 49ers have already selected four players in the NFL Draft, but it is worth keeping an eye on what the enemy is doing.
The Seattle Seahawks drafting quarterback Jalen Milroe late on day two of the draft may show they don't have complete faith in Sam Darnold.
Seattle signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract this offseason after trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. Darnold was able to cash in on a very solid season with the Minnesota Vikings in which he threw 35 touchdown passes and had 4,319 passing yards.
Darnold himself credited Niners quarterback Brock Purdy with helping him step his game up in 2024. Seattle clearly believes it will be getting the 2024 version of Darnold rather than the version that struggled after being a highly touted first-round draft pick.
However, the Milroe pick does suggest the Seahawks at least want a bit of an insurance policy in case Darnold cannot replicate what he did in Minnesota. The move feels a tiny bit like when the Atlanta Falcons drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft after they signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a pricey contract earlier that offseason.
The Falcons selected Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick of the draft, whereas Seattle took Milroe in the third round, so the two moves are not completely comparable. It could still be a sign that Seattle is not fully sold that Darnold is going to replicate his 2024 numbers, though.
It would be tough for Darnold to do exactly what he did last season because he will not have the same weapons at his disposal. While Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Ngiba are both very good wide receivers for the Hawks, neither possesses the talent of Minnesota's Justin Jefferson.
Milroe had decent stats in his time at the University of Alabama, finishing sixth in Heisman voting back in 2023. He threw for 2,844 yards and 16 touchdowns with 11 interceptions in his final year with the Crimson Tide, which is not great, but he could have some decent upside for Seattle.
We will have to see how this pick works out for Seattle. One hopes it leads to a quarterback controversy that tears the team apart from within and ruins their season, thereby giving the 49ers a better edge in the NFC West.
But at the very least, it could provide for at least a little bit of drama in Seattle's quarterback room next season if Darnold struggles.