The Seahawks’ quarterback picture is starting to come into focus, and the early read is that Seattle is comfortable letting Drew Lock hold the fort while Sam Darnold works his way back.
A Tuesday report said Darnold could be ready for Seattle’s Week 3 game at the Washington Commanders on Sept. 27, even though he’s dealing with a “very unique soft-tissue injury.” On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano added more detail, and the biggest takeaway was that Seattle’s handling of Darnold has been encouraging.
“It’s clear Sam Darnold will miss this week and possibly Week 3,” Fowler explained. “But the Seahawks have refrained from putting him on short-term injured reserve, which is a good sign. The team seems confident that Drew Lock is plug-and-play until Darnold returns.”
That confidence makes sense after what Lock did against New England. In Seattle’s 13-10 win over the Patriots on Sept. 9, he completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards, threw one touchdown, and avoided turnovers. He’s also on track to start Sunday’s Week 2 trip to the 1-0 Arizona Cardinals, with DraftKings Sportsbook listing the Seahawks as 3.5-point road favorites as of Wednesday morning.
If Lock keeps the offense steady in Arizona, he could be in line to start again against Washington, which would give Darnold more time to recover for the Week 4 home game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 4.
Graziano also raised the possibility that Seattle’s offense could feature more than one quarterback in Arizona.
“Yeah, Seattle believes Lock can handle it, so he’s the guy there for the foreseeable future,” Graziano added. “I’m personally interested to see whether they put in anything specific for (2025 third-round draft pick) Jalen Milroe in terms of plays or packages that take advantage of his running ability and maybe give their offense a little bit extra juice. Why not, if Milroe is going to be active anyway as the second quarterback?”
Milroe has not thrown a regular-season pass yet, but his athletic traits could make him a factor in red-zone and short-yardage situations.
In Other News...
Mac Jones Could Force A Big 49ers Decision In Week 2
Early in the season, the 49ers are already juggling more than they expected, with season-ending injuries to Alfred Collins and Jake Tonges and a lengthy absence for rookie De'Zhaun Stribling thinning out the roster before the calendar has even settled in. That kind of attrition tends to sharpen every decision, especially for a team that is trying to stay competitive while also protecting its long-term depth.
Against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, backup quarterback Mac Jones could become part of a bigger conversation. Jones has shown enough promise as Brock Purdys understudy to make the staff consider giving him a larger stage, and this game may offer a chance to show what he can do if the 49ers decide his value might help them in the trade market. For a team already dealing with early damage, the question is not just whether Jones can handle more snaps, but whether his performance could help shape the next move. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Aiyuk Trade Buzz Raises Another 49ers Question
The Patriots Week 1 loss and the news that theyll be without A.J. Brown for at least four weeks have already sharpened the conversation around their passing game, and it has only added to the noise surrounding Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers wideout has been out with a knee injury, and with his recent off-field issues still part of the backdrop, speculation from a third-party source has linked him as a possible trade fit for New England.
From San Franciscos perspective, it is another reminder that Aiyuks situation could keep drawing attention until it is settled, even if the destination chatter is doing more work than the facts themselves. The Patriots may have a short-term need after Browns injury, but their current receiver group is considered sufficient, which is why this feels more like a question being raised than a move that should actually happen. [Read more 🡒]
49ers May Have Found The Rookie Who Can Ease McCaffreys Burden
Christian McCaffrey entered the season expected to carry the offense again, but Sunday offered a glimpse of a different kind of backfield balance. Rookie Kaelon Black got more carries than McCaffrey in Week 1 and turned them into 65 yards on 14 attempts, a workload that reflected how quickly he has climbed into a real role for the 49ers after earning the No. 2 job in training camp.
Kyle Shanahans praise afterward centered less on one breakout performance than on the habits that got Black there in the first place. The coach pointed to his preparation, maturity and attentiveness, saying those traits helped make Black ready for the moment and professional enough to handle it. For San Francisco, the larger question is whether that trust keeps growing as the season moves on, because a reliable second runner could ease the burden McCaffrey has shouldered for so long. [Read more 🡒]