Sam Darnold’s absence is about more than just who starts at quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks this week. It could end up shaping the conversation around what happens with Darnold long after this stretch is over.
Drew Lock is set to play while Darnold misses time, and that creates a rare test for a team that has spent so much of the conversation orbiting around Darnold. There has never really been a control group for this Seahawks offense with him out of the picture. Now there is.
If Lock steps in and wins three straight games while playing well, it won’t cost Darnold his job. He is not going to be Wally Pipped here. When he’s healthy, he gets his job back.
But the bigger question comes later, when Seattle has to talk money. If the Seahawks can get similar production with Lock under center, how much does that affect a possible deal for Sam at $55 million, $60-plus million a year?
The flip side matters just as much. If Lock struggles over the next three or four games as a starter, that could strengthen Darnold’s position even more. It would give Seattle a clearer look at how different the offense is without him.
There is also something in this for Lock himself. He has a chance to show that he can still make noise as a starter, and the hope here is that he can turn this into the kind of late-career bounce that Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield and Daniel Jones have already found. A couple of strong starts could change his trajectory, too.
For Darnold, this probably isn’t front of mind. He’s likely just rooting for Lock and waiting to get back. But by the end of the season, this stretch is going to matter when the Seahawks start debating Darnold’s future.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Week 2 Availability Problem Against Arizona
Tory Hortons return to a full practice was one of the brighter developments around the Seahawks this week, especially after the rookie receiver spent so long working his way back from the tibia fracture that ended his 2024 season in Week 9. Seattle could use any bit of good news on the health front with Arizona coming up, and Horton getting through a full session for the first time since then at least gives the offense another name to monitor as the week goes on.
The bigger concern, though, is the churn on the rest of the roster. Sam Darnold was held out of practice with a glute injury, Nick Emmanwori was limited by ankle and hip issues, and Ty Okada and Cooper Kupp also showed up on the list in some capacity. For a team trying to get through the early part of the schedule without losing footing, the Seahawks are suddenly dealing with a lot of moving parts before a divisional game that already carries more than the usual amount of urgency. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Head To Arizona With Two Big Questions Still Hanging
A Week 1 win over New England gave Seattle an early boost, but the trip to Arizona is already bringing a sharper test of where this team really stands. The numbers paint a mixed picture for both sides, with the Seahawks and Cardinals entering the matchup carrying some encouraging efficiency indicators and some lingering questions from last season and the opener.
For Seattle, the bigger issue is not simply whether the fast start was real, but whether it can travel against a divisional opponent that will force the same kind of clean execution. The statistical case for Sunday points to a game that should be tight, and the Seahawks head into it with two unresolved questions that could shape the tone of their season long before the calendar turns. [Read more 🡒]
Drew Lock Now Faces The Seahawks Test That Really Matters
Drew Locks first start of the 2023 season gave the Seahawks exactly what they needed after Sam Darnold went down in Week 1. Filling in against the Patriots, Lock threw for 187 yards and a touchdown and helped Seattle leave with a win, a solid opening act for a quarterback who had to step in without much runway.
Mike Macdonald came away encouraged by the way Lock handled the moment, pointing to his professionalism and the steadiness he brought in a backup role. Now comes the harder part for Seattle, though, because one good relief outing is only the beginning of the test for a team trying to stay on track while its quarterback situation remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]