The San Francisco 49ers were faced with a franchise-altering decision this summer as it pertained to quarterback Brock Purdy's contract situation. The two sides ultimately landed on a five-year, $265 million deal with $100 million guaranteed at signing, and many felt that the team overspent.
When looking at the NFC West, however, it makes sense to lock Purdy in. Matthew Stafford is at the end of his line, Kyler Murray has not shown that he is an elite quarterback, and the Seahawks were in hot water with their signal-callers this offseason as well.
Seattle wanted to re-sign Geno Smith, but when they could not strike a middle ground, they shipped him off to the Las Vegas Raiders. They quickly pivoted to former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and gave him a three-year deal worth $100.5 million, which they should soon live to regret.
Raiders passed on Seahawks QB Sam Darnold because of Tom Brady
Darnold was a popular name during the free agency period, but that does not necessarily mean he will be a game-changer in Seattle. In fact, the quarterback-desperate Raiders did not even want Darnold this spring, as The Athletic's Michael Silver reported that minority owner Tom Brady stepped in to prevent what he felt would be a disaster.
"The Seahawks’ pursuit of Darnold snuck up on many NFL observers and proceeded in rapid-fire fashion," Silver wrote. "While some believed the Las Vegas Raiders would try to sign Darnold, minority owner Tom Brady — a seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback whose opinion held great sway — was not in favor of that approach, according to a source familiar with the franchise’s internal discussions."
Brady's voice clearly looms large in Las Vegas, and if he felt that Smith was an upgrade over Darnold, that means that the Seahawks just downgraded at the most important position on the field. Silver's report also indicates a bit of panic on Seattle's end after the Smith situation went down.
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Wide receivers D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are now gone from Seattle as well, so the offensive firepower around Darnold is slim outside of Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Cooper Kupp may still have a bit left in the tank, but he is far from a game-wrecker at this juncture in his career.
Ultimately, the 49ers locked in the best quarterback in the division this offseason, as well as the one with the most upside. The team has a clear path back to a Super Bowl once again this season, and stability under center should provide a similar route for years to come.
In Seattle, however, they are likely panicking and wondering why the game's greatest player felt that their quarterback was not worth pursuing. Brady was a great player, and time will certainly tell if he is a great executive, but this report is flat-out embarrassing for the 49ers' divisional foe.