New Matthew Stafford contract could impact Seahawks, Sam Darnold

[ASFN Admin]

The Seattle Seahawks were impacted by a decision made by one of their division rivals on Thursday. The Los Angeles Rams signed veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford to a one-year extension worth $55 million. It will have an impact on the Seahawks' eventual negotiations with their quarterback, Sam Darnold.

Stafford was scheduled to enter the final year of his contract with the Rams. After winning MVP this past season, the aging signal-caller clearly believes he has more than one year left. His one-year extension keeps him under contract with the Rams through the 2027 campaign, and the $55 million agreement could reach $60 million via incentives, per Adam Schefter.

ESPN sources: reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford and the Rams reached agreement today on a one-year, $55 million extension worth up to $60 million with incentives. Stafford now has two years and up to $105 million remaining on his deal with the Rams. pic.twitter.com/3lMmJMhk7R

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 21, 2026

The Seahawks signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract in free agency last season. It pays Darnold just $33.5 million per season. That's a bargain, as he's currently the 16th-highest paid QB in the league on an annual basis.

It obviously paid major dividends as Darnold and the Seahawks won Super Bowl 60. With just two years remaining on his original three-year contract, Darnold will become eligible to negotiate an extension with Seattle next offseason. He'll be expecting a major raise in pay even if he comes anywhere close to replicating his 2026 success. The Stafford extension just gave him even more negotiating power.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: New Matthew Stafford contract could impact Seahawks, Sam Darnold

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