The Seahawks’ Week 2 trip to State Farm Stadium took a major hit before Arizona even played its opener.
Sam Darnold, who exited Seattle’s regular season opener early in the first quarter with a hip injury, is expected to miss next week’s game against the Cardinals. He was ruled out for the rest of the opener, and Drew Lock took over to help the defending Super Bowl champions escape with a 13-10 win.
The encouraging part for Seattle is that the early MRI brought some relief after the initial fear of a longer absence. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported, "team doctors still are reviewing to determine how much time he will miss. It is expected to be some, but for now the team believes it, as one source described, 'dodged a bullet.'"
Schefter also said, "Sam Darnold is expected to miss next week's game, but he should be back sooner, rather than later, sources say. Could be just a few weeks.With 17 days from Wed. until their Week 3 game against the #Commanders, Darnold gets a schedule break, as well."
That timeline matters for Seattle, and it matters for Arizona too.
Darnold was the engine for the Seahawks last season, guiding the offense with the kind of rhythm and control that helped them reach the Super Bowl. Seattle was counting on that same formula again in 2026, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Jadarian Price among the headline names around him.
Lock did his part when called upon, finishing 16-of-22 for 187 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots. But there’s no hiding the gap between him and Darnold when it comes to experience and overall ceiling.
Darnold has also shown he can make the kind of big throw that flips a game. Cardinals fans saw that on Thursday night last year, when he helped put Seattle in field-goal range and kept an upset from happening. Lock can work behind a strong rushing attack and a solid defense, but Seattle now looks more limited without its starter steering the offense.
For Arizona, that’s a break. The Cardinals will get a little bit of tape on Lock from last night, and that can only help when they start building a plan. Of course, they still have to handle their own business first, with a Week 1 road trip to Los Angeles to face the Chargers on Sunday.
Even so, what looked like a brutal Week 2 assignment just got a little more manageable if Darnold is indeed sidelined at State Farm Stadium.
In Other News...
Former Cardinals Back At Center Of A Shocking Federal Case
LeShon Johnson, a former Cardinals running back, is back in the news for all the wrong reasons after being sentenced to five years in federal prison in connection with a major dogfighting and trafficking operation in Oklahoma. Federal agents said they rescued 190 pit bulls from his property, a seizure they described as the largest tied to a single person in federal history, underscoring just how extensive the case was.
Johnson was convicted on six federal dogfighting charges and also ordered to pay a fine, adding another dark chapter to a post-football story that has now returned to the federal courts. It was his second major conviction related to dogfighting, a disturbing repeat that makes the scope of the case and its fallout impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Have A Week 1 O-Line Concern They Can't Ignore
Josh Sweat was back on the practice field for the Cardinals after getting a day of rest, and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love was still working through things with limitations. The more pressing issue, though, sits on the offensive line, where right guard Isaiah Adams was again absent because of a knee injury as Arizona moved deeper into the week.
With Adams trending doubtful for the opener, the Cardinals depth chart points to Jon Gaines as the likely next man up at right guard if the game is played without a late surprise. Head coach Mike LaFleur is expected to give another round of injury updates before the weekend, which should help clarify whether Arizona is simply managing a setback or preparing for a real lineup shuffle in Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals First Depth Chart Raises Questions About Some Big Early Decisions
The Cardinals released their first depth chart of the year ahead of their season opener against the Chargers, and it offered an early look at how the roster shakeout may be taking shape. One of the most notable items was Jeremiyah Love, the third overall draft pick, not listed as the starting running back, even though he is still expected to play a significant role right away. Elsewhere, the defense featured some interesting calls, with Jack Gibbens opening as an inside linebacker next to Mack Wilson.
There were a few other spots that hinted at how Arizona is sorting through the final pieces before kickoff. Dante Stills is listed ahead of Darius Robinson at left defensive tackle, while Andrew Wingard is the starter at free safety, giving the Cardinals a first official snapshot of where some of their key decisions have landed. For a roster with a few young headline names and a handful of position battles still worth watching, the initial chart does not answer every question, but it does show which players have the early edge. [Read more 🡒]