Insider wonders whether Sam Darnold can avoid cold finish with Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks find themselves midway through the 2025 season as one of the best teams in football.
A 5-2 record going into Week 9 against the Washington Commanders is a great spot to be in, but there is still some concern linked to quarterback Sam Darnold. NFL.com writer Eric Edholm questions whether Darnold can continue to play at a high level like he did in the first half of the season.
"Don't sweat the short drop. With a swarming defense and an explosive offense, the Seahawks are one of the more well-rounded teams in football," Edholm wrote.
"And the defense has been without its two best DBs, CB Devon Witherspoon and S Julian Love, for the majority of games. Seattle coughed up the ball four times in the pre-bye win over Houston, which is exactly the kind of performance Klint Kubiak's attack must avoid going forward. The D should be able to take care of business more often than not, as long as the offense isn't donating possessions to opponents.
"Ball security becomes even more crucial with a remaining schedule that includes six road games against only four in Seattle. This is almost the exact spot Sam Darnold found himself in with the Vikings last season. Can Darnold and the 'Hawks have a better ending?"
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Darnold needs to deliver on the road
The Seahawks have two big road games in the division against the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers. If Darnold and the Seahawks can pull out wins in each of those games, the team should be bound for the postseason.
The other games on the road aren't as concerning. There are winnable games against the Commanders, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers.
Considering the fact that the Seahawks are undefeated on the road this year, it's a sign that this won't end up like the 2024 Minnesota Vikings did. The team just needs to continue to stay the course and play how they have been.
Darnold and the Seahawks are set to kick off against the Commanders on Sunday at 5:20 p.m. PT. Fans can watch the game on NBC or stream it on Peacock.
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This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.
Raiders Sign Recently Released Young WR
The Las Vegas Raiders‘ wide receiver room needed a jolt, and they’re hoping the addition of a 33-year-old Tyler Lockett will at least help. To make room for Lockett, the team had to cut Justin Shorter.
Luckily for the young wide receiver, he wasn’t in free agency long. The Raiders announced on Tuesday that they’ve signed Shorter to the practice squad.
#RAIDERS ROSTER MOVE:
– Signed WR Justin Shorter to the practice squad
Shorter has played in all seven games for the Raiders, but hasn’t recorded a reception. He has value on special teams, so perhaps he’ll be able to get back on the field. Even though he’s on the practice squad, it doesn’t mean he can’t get promoted to the active roster.
The former Buffalo Bills fifth-round pick clearly has fans on the Raiders’ coaching staff, so it’ll be interesting to see if he still has a role at some point this season.
Latest on Jakobi Meyers
It’s possible that the Raiders will have an opening at wide receiver soon. The NFL trade deadline is closing in, and Jakobi Meyers still wants a trade.
The Raiders need to decide if they want to offer Meyers an extension or are willing to trade him. It doesn’t make much sense to keep him right now and let him walk in free agency.
There are multiple teams that should have an interest in Meyers. He’s a really good No. 2 wide receiver who has some of the best hands in the NFL. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler gave the latest update on his status with the Raiders.
“Teams I’ve talked to believe that Meyers has a decent chance to be dealt — possibly the best chance among available wide receivers,” Fowler wrote. “Las Vegas has received interest in the seven-year veteran, and my sense is the Raiders want a strong pick for Meyers. A swap of Day 3 picks won’t do at this stage.
“Several teams are believed to be in the receiver market, most notably the Steelers and possibly the Broncos and Bills. Meyers clearly wants out, and the Raiders are in a transitional phase. They just signed veteran Tyler Lockett, which could ease the loss of dealing Meyers. Pittsburgh is keeping tabs on this one but is prepared to be patient, too. If I had to predict a destination right now, I’d say the Steelers.”
Should Raiders Extend Meyers?
Meyers seems like he’d prefer to get traded away at this point. That said, he could still be open to signing an extension if the Raiders made the right offer.
Meyers is a good player and good in the locker room. Teammates speak very highly of him. The Raiders don’t have a lot of great options at wide receiver, so it would make some sense to extend him.
The problem is that Meyers is already 28 and turns 29 in November. He might not match the Raiders’ timeline. Plus, the hope is that rookie Jack Bech eventually develops into the same type of player as Meyers. If the Raiders think they can make enough moves to make a playoff push next year, it makes sense to extend Meyers, but if they’re taking a more patient approach, then it’s time to trade him.
