PHOENIX — Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider's eyes lit up when discussing his quarterback Sam Darnold, insisting the USC product has more to prove entering his second season with the team.

Even after leading the Seahawks to a 14-win season that culminated in a Super Bowl victory, Schneider believes Darnold will deliver more efficient performances once he completes a second offseason under head coach Mike Macdonald and grows more comfortable in the offense.

"Yeah, I know it's crazy to say that because he won 14 games last year," Schneider said during an interview at the Arizona Biltmore hotel. "But we've always said Sam is just a football player. When you take the quarterbacking out of it – all the quarterback schools and stuff that you go to – he's just a football player."

Schneider defines that term bluntly: a quarterback who functions as one of the guys rather than remaining separate from the team, which he believes translates into strong leadership.

Schneider expects Darnold to develop stronger chemistry with receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp through additional on-field reps. That development will play out on camera, with the Seahawks set to appear on HBO's "Hard Knocks" for the first time this season.

Continuity in the Offense

Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak departed to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, but Seattle replaced him with Brian Fleury, the San Francisco 49ers' run game coordinator and tight ends coach. Fleury previously worked with Kubiak and established rapport with Darnold during their time together in San Francisco—meaning the offensive system remains unchanged.

"He's going to be that much more comfortable from being around his team," Schneider said. "Just his relationship with Coop and Rashid. Like, Rashid came in during the season, so that takes a minute to build chemistry. He gets another year with Jax, and we have a really cool tight end group — Elijah Arroyo and A.J. Barner did a great job. He can play even better."

Lessons from the Past

Schneider plans to draw on his experience reaching back-to-back Super Bowls under Pete Carroll to replenish the roster. He remained tight-lipped about specifics but reflected on past mistakes.

"Yeah, tons of lessons learned. But I don't want to get into specifics because I don't want to tell people what we're doing."

Four years ago, Schneider explained those lessons more directly: the Seahawks had drifted from their core principle of acquiring fast, young, hungry athletes. They failed to bring in competitive players willing to challenge established stars like Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman.

"[It was] us not really doing a great job of bringing some guys in that were competitive enough to say, 'I'm going to take Earl Thomas' job.' Or, 'I'm going to go take Sherm's job.' We got into a couple classes there where we learned those guys were Russell Wilson on Madden, or they were playing Kam Chancellor on Madden. And now they're in a room with him and it's like, 'Oh s---, that's Kam Chancellor.' Instead of saying, 'I'm going to go try and take his job.'"

Free Agency Departures Reshape the Roster

The Seahawks let several core contributors walk to other teams this offseason:

• Kenneth Walker III (Super Bowl MVP) signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs
• Coby Bryant agreed to a three-year, $40 million contract with the Chicago Bears
• Boye Mafe signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals
• Riq Woolen joined the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year, $12 million contract

Rather than making splashy free agency moves to replace them, Schneider re-signed his own players like Shaheed and cornerback Josh Jobe while adding outside free agents on manageable deals—running back Emanuel Wilson and cornerback Noah Igbinoghene—to compete for vacant spots.

Securing Core Pieces

Schneider has locked in his foundational talent. He signed receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a four-year, $168.6 million deal, making him the highest-paid receiver in NFL history. The move ensures Darnold retains his security blanket long-term.

"It's huge because of the competitor and person he is," Schneider said of the Smith-Njigba signing. "The way he handles his business, there's zero problems. He just shows up every day and acts like he's been there before."

Darnold's three-year, $100.5 million contract means Schneider avoids quarterback negotiations this offseason. The team has also already extended offensive tackles Charles Cross and Abe Lucas, and plans to extend defensive back Devon Witherspoon (a 2023 first-round pick).

Building for 2027

With only four draft selections this year (though owning picks in the first three rounds), Schneider is strategically positioning for 2027, when evaluators view the draft class as deeper. The Seahawks are projected to receive four compensatory picks in 2027 due to their free agency losses, giving them an expected 12 total selections next year.

"It's about identifying what your foundational pieces are, and what the landscape looks like at certain positions," Schneider told me. "It's not about those guys in particular [that we lost in free agency], it's about the position and if you can replace them or not. Obviously, those guys are unique people. And we're not going to be able to replace the people. But those are positions we know we're going to have to address."