The Seahawks are rolling early, and they may be on the verge of getting their starting quarterback back in the mix.
Seattle opened the season with a tight 13-10 win over the reigning AFC champion Patriots, then followed that up with a 31-7 thumping of a competitive Cardinals team on Sunday. The twist is that they’ve done it largely without Sam Darnold, who left the Patriots game early because of a glute injury and still hasn’t practiced in Seattle since.
That could be about to change. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Darnold is expected to return to practice this week, possibly as soon as Wednesday.
"It sounds like Sam Darnold has a chance to return this week," Rapoport said. "They want to be cautious with him.
The fact that he's going to be out there practicing this week is a very good sign. This was the word we got on Sunday, that he's healing faster than anybody would have imagined, and this is all really good ...
Maybe another week of Drew Lock, but sooner rather than later for Darnold."
Drew Lock has handled the job well in Darnold’s place through two games. He’s completed 72.9% of his throws for 422 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, and his 127.3 passer rating leads the NFL. Jaxson Dart sits next at 125.9, followed by Josh Allen at 125.8 and Brock Purdy at 125.6.
Lock has also benefited from a huge start by Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who leads the league with 277 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Even so, the production hasn’t come only from the wideout - Lock has been sharp, efficient and in control.
Still, the depth chart hasn’t changed. Lock remains the backup, and the Seahawks are committed to Darnold as their starter.
Last season, his first in Seattle, Darnold threw for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns with 14 interceptions, completed 67.7% of his passes, earned his second straight Pro Bowl nod, and helped the Seahawks win a Super Bowl. The team clearly believes he’s their guy, but with Lock playing this well, there’s no reason to push Darnold back before he’s ready.
Seattle’s next two games are also in favorable spots. The Seahawks face the Commanders, who are 0-2 and just lost Jayden Daniels, before coming home to play the struggling Chargers in Week 4. Both matchups look very winnable, whether Darnold is back or not.
In Other News...
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For Seahawks fans, the interesting part is not just Whites production, but how quickly he has become part of a broader Raiders trend. Head coach Klint Kubiak has brought in multiple former Seattle players, and Whites recent two-touchdown game is the kind of performance that tends to keep a players name circulating well beyond one Sunday. The bigger question is how much of this is a one-week surge, and how much is the start of a larger role. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Nearly Turned Seahawks Scouting Into A Week 6 Feud
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The issue never became a formal scandal because the Seahawks pushed back and were prepared to respond legally, and Payton ultimately backed off. Even so, the episode adds another layer to the leagues long memory of sign-stealing disputes, and it shows how something as ordinary as publicly accessible practice footage can still set off a tense standoff between two veteran coaching staffs. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Have A QB Decision Fans Didn't Expect
Sam Darnolds return to the practice field could put the Seahawks in an unexpected spot entering Sundays game against the Washington Commanders. Sidelined since Sept. 9 with a glute strain, Darnold is expected to work on Wednesday in some capacity, giving Seattle its first real update in a stretch that has kept the quarterback situation in flux.
Mike Macdonald left the door open for Darnold to play if the week goes well, but Drew Lock has made the conversation more complicated. In two games filling in, Lock has completed 35 of 48 passes with four touchdowns and no turnovers, giving Seattle reason to believe it can keep rolling even as the team weighs how soon to turn back to its starter. [Read more 🡒]