How Sam Darnold and Geno Smith’s new contracts compare

Ever since the Seattle Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders last month and then signed Sam Darnold in free agency, there’s been curiosity over how the two quarterbacks’ new contracts would compare.

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We now have some more clarity. OverTheCap.com and Spotrac.com have both released details on the two-year contract extension that Smith and the Raiders agreed to last week, which gives us an opportunity to examine how the two deal stack up in terms of guaranteed money, salary cap numbers and more.

Here’s a snapshot of the two contracts and how they compare. All information is according to either OTC or Spotrac.

Per-year average

Geno Smith: $35.3 million (3 years, $106 million) – 17th among QBs

Sam Darnold: $33.5 million (3 years, $100.5 million) – 18th among QBs

Smith signed a two-year, $75 million contract extension with the Raiders. Since he already had one year and $31 million left on the deal he signed with Seattle in 2023, that means his new contract is essentially three years and $106 million. Darnold, meanwhile, inked a three-year, $100.5 million deal.

Using those two figures, Smith’s contract is essentially $35.3 million per year, while Darnold’s is $33.5 million per year. Both are on the low end of the starting quarterback spectrum. The only regular starting quarterback below them who isn’t on a rookie contract is Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, whose $33.3 million annual average ranks 19th among QBs.

Fully guaranteed money

Geno Smith: $58.5 million

Sam Darnold: $37.5 million

This is one of the key differences in the two contracts, as Smith has $21.5 million more in fully guaranteed money.

Salary cap numbers

Geno Smith: $40 million in 2025; $26.5 million in 2026; $39.5 million in 2027

Sam Darnold: $13.4 million in 2025; $33.9 million in 2026; $44.9 million in 2027; $12.8 million in 2028

Darnold’s 2025 salary cap hit is $26.6 million less than Smith’s. Darnold then carries the higher cap numbers for the next two years – $7.4 million more than Smith’s 2026 cap hit and $5.4 million more than Smith’s 2027 cap hit. Darnold also has a $12.8 million cap charge that was pushed into 2028 through a void year. If either team ends up signing their quarterback to a contract extension ahead of 2027, their cap number that year could be brought down.

Potential outs in 2027

Geno Smith: $0 in dead cap; total contract value: 2 years, $66 million

Sam Darnold: $19.2 million in dead cap; total contract value: 2 years, $65 million

Both teams have reasonable pathways to get out of the contracts prior to the 2027 season.

If the Raiders were to release or trade Smith prior to the 2027 season, they could clear his entire $39.5 million cap charge that year without taking on any dead money.

If the Seahawks were to release Darnold in 2027 with a pre-June 1 designation, they would clear $25.7 million in cap space while taking on $19.2 million in dead money. If they were to release him in 2027 with a post-June 1 designation, they would clear $38.5 million in cap space while taking on $6.4 million in dead money.

Draft pick compensation

It’s also important to note that the Seahawks got a third-round draft pick (No. 92 overall) from the Raiders in exchange for Smith. Along with the second-round pick Seattle received from the Pittsburgh Steelers in the DK Metcalf trade, the Seahawks currently hold five picks in the top 92 of this year’s draft.

Seattle Seahawks coverage

• Why Daniel Jeremiah is a believer in Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold
• Did Geno Smith really leave Seattle Seahawks for a better situation in Vegas?
• Daniel Jeremiah: The ‘sweet spot’ for Seattle Seahawks to draft a WR
• Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: Explosive WR Jaylin Noel
• Bump: The Seattle Seahawks OL who will make the biggest jump

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