It’s not “crazy” to ask if Sam Darnold can prevent Jalen Milroe, Drew Lock

Sometimes football coaches tell the truth. More often than not, they say what they think they have to say.

This is what the Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald did when asked if something other than the injury could prevent Seattle from starting the season with Sam Darnold in the quarter.

“I respect you have to ask for it, but it’s just A crazy question“Said Macdonald.” It just won’t happen. Sam is our starting quarter. We love it. He does a great job.

It is not a crazy question. (More things about it in a minute.) But Macdonald had to call this a crazy question because he does not want or does not need Darnold or someone else in the locker room to doubt that Darnold is the guy for 2025. By giving the credibility of the possibility, Macdonald potentially opens the door to the investment of $ 37.5 million.

The truth is that, if Drew Lock or the recruit Jalen Milroe considerably surpasses Darnold in the training camp, the best player will play. This is precisely what happened 13 years ago, when the acquisition of free agent Matt Flynn was preceded by a choice of third round draft (Russell Wilson), and the recruit won the position.

John Schneider was then the managing director, and Schneider is the managing director now.

The Seahawks must sell the idea that they made the right decision to pivot from Geno Smith to Darnold when Smith wanted more money than the Seahawks were ready to pay. Why put as many eggs in the basket of a guy who cannot beat a companion and a recruit taken with the 92nd overall choice?

Although they want (and need) Darnold to become the guy, they will not ignore reality if it becomes obvious that Lock or Milroe will put the Seahawks in better position to win matches. The former head coach Pete Carroll did not slip on a thin member when he went with Wilson over Flynn; Everyone knew Wilson was better.

If Lock or Milroe thrives and Darnold fights under the weight of pressure and expectations, the same could happen. And it is ridiculous to reject anyone who entertains the possibility of “crazy”.

But we understand. Macdonald says what he has to say. Like when he said that about Smith in February: “Heck yeah, guy. Geno is our quarterrier. I don’t understand the conversation. It is quite obvious that this guy is quite a quarter. It is our quarter-arre. We love it. I can’t wait to go to work with him … This guy, he’s a great player, guy. And We can win a championship with Geno Smith. “”

Likewise, the new attacking coordinator Klint Kubiak called Smith as “draw“After taking the job. And then they returned to the drawing board, choosing not to pay Smith and ride with Darnold instead.

They need Darnold, who had no threat to his minnesota starter status after JJ McCarthy was injured in August to justify this decision. They need Darnold to be the guy.

Which means they need him to think he’s the guy.

This also means that they need him so as not to feel the same kind of pressure he finally felt in the week 18, when he suddenly could not finish the passes and / or make good decisions with the seeded n ° 1 within the reach of Minnesota in Detroit.