The Seattle Seahawks are making the cautious call with Sam Darnold.
After Darnold went down in the team’s first game of the season last week against the New England Patriots, the Seahawks have decided he won’t be available Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the team has "officially ruled out Darnold for Sunday's game vs. the Cardinals due to his glute injury." Schefter also noted that the Seahawks "currently has no plans to place Darnold on IR."
That fits the way the injury has been described so far. It’s a soft-tissue glute tendon injury, and while it’s not considered season-ending, the Seahawks aren’t rushing him back for this one.
There’s also a football reason for holding him out. The Cardinals entered 2025 at 3-14, though they did open the season with a surprise 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Still, the Seahawks appear content to avoid unnecessary risk here and let Darnold recover rather than expose him to more damage in a game that doesn’t require that kind of gamble.
With Darnold sidelined, Drew Lock is set to start again. He handled the opener well against New England, finishing 16 of 22 for 187 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.
"It was a blast," Lock said after the game, per ESPN. "So proud of everyone around me tonight on the offensive side of the ball. I can't say enough about the defense turning over the ball."
Now Lock gets another shot, and another start, against Arizona.
In Other News...
Cardinals Suddenly Have A Safety Depth Problem They Cant Ignore
Kitan Crawfords Week 1 injury quickly turned into more than a one-game setback for Arizona. The Cardinals safety was carted off the field with a mid-ankle sprain and has now been placed on injured reserve with a designation to return, which means he has to sit out at least four weeks while the team waits for him to work his way back.
For a defense already dealing with injury issues in the safety room, the timing is the real problem. Arizona had been counting on depth at the position to hold up early in the season, but Crawfords absence narrows the margin even further, and his expected return by Week 6 only underscores how long the Cardinals may need to manage without much help back there. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Secondary Shakeup Starts With Another Injury Move
The Cardinals secondary adjustments started in Tempe with another roster shuffle tied to injury, as Arizona placed a safety and special teams contributor on injured reserve and moved cornerback Kalen King up from the practice squad to the active roster. The move comes at a time when the back end of the defense has been under steady pressure to stay together, and every transaction seems to carry a little more weight than the last.
Arizona also added some depth behind the scenes, signing cornerback Art Green and safety Jerrick Reed II to the practice squad while releasing wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette. For a team trying to keep its defensive backfield functional and its special teams options flexible, the latest round of moves suggests the Cardinals are still piecing things together as they sort through the latest injury hit. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Enter Seahawks Test With One Lineup Concern Still Hanging Over Them
The Cardinals head into their NFC West matchup with the Seahawks carrying the kind of early-season uncertainty that can make a division game feel even tighter. Seattles injury report brought one notable change with quarterback Sam Darnold ruled out and Drew Lock lined up to start, while both teams listed a mix of limited participants and players held out of practice for rest or injury as they sorted through Week 2 prep.
Arizonas own focus is a little narrower, but no less important for an offense trying to settle in. The team has already moved safety Kitan Crawford to injured reserve, and right guard Isaiah Adams remains the main lineup question as game day approaches, leaving the Cardinals with at least one spot on the front line still worth watching before they face Seattle. [Read more 🡒]