Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Desmond Ridder

Tuesday, April 29, 4:07 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold will take over 90 percent of the offensive snaps in 2025, according to head coach Mike Macdonald. The Seahawks took former Alabama QB Jalen Milroe in the third round of this year's NFL draft, but not to immediately push Darnold for the starting job. But even if Milroe doesn't overtake Drew Lock for the backup gig, the speedy Milroe should see the field early on in packages designed to take advantage of his elite ground game. There was pre-draft speculation that Milroe could be used in a similar way to Saints utility man Taysom Hill, who Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak coached last year. Macdonald made it clear that Milroe will only play QB. Darnold earned the right to be Seattle's starter in 2025 after a career year in Minnesota, but it will be difficult to live up to his 2024 numbers with a group of wideouts that aren't nearly as gifted as what Darnold was working with in Minnesota.

Tuesday, May 6, 11:29 PM

Free-agent quarterback Desmond Ridder will receive a tryout for the Denver Broncos during their rookie minicamp this weekend, a source tells 9 News' Mike Klis. The former University of Cincinnati product was drafted in the third round in 2022 by the Atlanta Falcons and started 13 games in 2023. The 25-year-old was way too inconsistent and injury-prone, though, with the Falcons moving on after just two seasons. He appeared in six games (one start) for the Las Vegas Raiders last year and completed 61.2% of his 85 pass attempts for 458 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Former first-rounder Bo Nix is Denver's unquestioned starter after a strong rookie season in which he led the Broncos to the playoffs, and Jarrett Stidham will return as his backup. If Ridder is signed, he'd compete with Sam Ehlinger for the No. 3 job in the QB room.