Sam Darnold

The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar said he does not believe Sam Darnold’s presence will “influence whether Seattle drafts a quarterback.”

Responding to a series of reader questions, Dugar notes that “Darnold’s contract is effectively a one-year, $37.5 million deal with an option for a second year.” In a scenario where John Schneider’s round-based grade aligns with a quarterback prospect’s availability, then “the team will likely draft the prospect.” He specifically indicates that if Schneider views Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart as a first-round talent, Schneider would draft Dart ahead of standout players like Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan and South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori.