NFL Free Agency: Sam Darnold signs one-year contract with San Francisco 49ers

Quarterback Sam Darnold has decided on where he will play football in 2023. After hitting free agency, Darnold has signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers, per Adam Schefter.

Darnold came into the league with a ton of expectations, as he was the No. 3 overall pick out of USC in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He started 38 games in three seasons with New York, leading the Jets to a 13-25 record and throwing for 8,097 yards, 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions while completing 59.8 percent of his passes.

Prior to the 2021 season, the Jets selected Zach Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick and shipped Darnold to Carolina in exchange for draft picks. Darnold started 11 games in 2021 with the Panthers, leading the team to a 4-7 record while completing 59.9 percent of his passes and throwing for nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

2022 was an odd year for Darnold in Carolina. An injury held him out of action to begin the year, with Baker Mayfield starting for the Panthers. Darnold wouldn’t return to the starting role until late in the season, and he ended up starting six games with a 4-2 record as the Panthers fought for a playoff berth. In that stretch, Darnold threw for 1,143 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions, completing 58.6 percent of his passes.

Darnold hasn’t quite lived up to the billing he came into the league with, but the end of his 2022 campaign was promising. He now hopes to build off of that solid play entering 2023, with a brand new deal by his name.

More on the 2023 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2023 calendar year is set to begin at 4 p.m. ET on March 15 when contracts running through 2022 will officially run out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will have a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 7. Beginning March 13 through March 15 teams will be allowed a legal negotiation with players who are set to become unrestricted free agents.

In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 21 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets while April 26 marks the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets. 722 players are slated to become free agents in 2023.