The Seahawks may be heading toward a quarterback reset, and the clock is already ticking on what comes next. Sam Darnold was supposed to be the answer in Seattle, but after a strong start to his tenure, the trust around him has evaporated fast. His recent slide has turned the conversation from extension of belief to hard questions about an exit plan.
The numbers tell the story. Darnold has thrown seven turnovers over the last four games, a stretch that has helped drag Seattle to 3-3 and left the team trending toward missing the playoffs. The Seahawks gave him a three-year, $100 million deal in the 2025 offseason, and that contract included a possible out next offseason if the team decides it needs one.
Even if Seattle does manage to stay alive in the playoff chase, the franchise may still decide it needs a fresh start under center going into next season. General manager John Schneider and his staff have several paths to consider.
One of them is already on the roster. Backup Drew Lock has quietly put together a strong case in limited action.
Through five weeks and the Thursday Night Football game, Lock leads the league in quarterback rating at 127.3. In his work against the New England Patriots and the Arizona Cardinals, he completed 72.9% of his passes for 422 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
That makes him a legitimate internal option if Seattle wants to see whether he can keep the team out of the kind of late-game mistakes that have hurt Darnold. The risk is obvious, but the Seahawks are already living with losses caused by turnovers. Lock could be the next man up if the team wants to move in a new direction in 2027.
The 2027 NFL Draft is another route the front office has to take seriously. There are seven quarterbacks inside the top 25 of ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest board, and the names that stand out for Seattle are Oregon’s Dante Moore, Missouri’s Austin Simmons and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr.
The Seahawks also have 11 picks in the 2027 Draft, which gives them flexibility. If they keep losing, they could land in position to take a quarterback in the first round without having to trade up. If they do need to climb the board, though, later Day 2 or Day 3 picks may not be enough to get another team’s attention.
A shorter-term bridge is another possibility, even if it comes with less upside. The free-agent pool next offseason includes Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota, Kyler Murray and Mac Jones. Those names may not offer much splash, but they do offer a lower-risk stopgap compared with sticking in place.
Seattle could also explore the trade market if it decides to swing big. Possible targets would include the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow and Houston Texans’ CJ Stroud. That kind of move would come with a huge price tag in both assets and salary, but the Seahawks may be willing to consider every option if Darnold keeps giving games away.
In Other News...
NFL Just Confirmed Seahawks Fans Had Every Right To Be Furious
Late in Seattles matchup with San Francisco, Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a hit from 49ers safety Malik Mustapha that never drew a flag on the field, even though it was later deemed a violation for hitting a defenseless player. The lack of a penalty at the time left Seahawks fans with plenty to gripe about, especially in a game where every late snap carried extra weight.
The NFLs review backed up that frustration, fining Mustapha $6,998 for the play and effectively confirming the missed call. No other players from the game were fined, but for Seattle supporters, the bigger point is hard to miss: the league looked at the same hit and came to the conclusion many in the building already had. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Picture Could Get More Interesting Than Fans Realize
Week 6 is bringing a little more uncertainty to the running back landscape than usual, and it is the kind of wrinkle Seahawks fans can keep an eye on even if the names involved are elsewhere. Quinshon Judkins, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, TreVeyon Henderson, Alvin Kamara and Rico Dowdle are all listed as questionable, with practice participation varying from player to player as teams sort through injuries and workload concerns heading into the weekend.
Jadarian Price adds another layer to the picture, even though he is still on injured reserve for now. His coach said a return could come as early as Week 8, which means the backfield conversation is only getting started in a league where availability can change the depth chart fast. For a Seattle team always watching the market and the ripple effects around it, these are the kinds of updates that can quietly shape what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Have A Pass Protection Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Through six games, the Seahawks offensive line has already become one of the clearest pressure points on the roster, and the latest reminder came in a rough afternoon against Denver. Pro Football Focus charted 26 pressures allowed on quarterback Sam Darnold, who was under duress 27 times overall, a number that underscored just how often the pocket collapsed before plays could fully develop.
It was not just one spot breaking down, either. Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Jalen Sundell, Grey Zabel, Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens all had their share of pressures allowed, while George Holani has also had trouble in pass protection. For a team trying to build any kind of offensive rhythm, the issue is no longer isolated enough to shrug off, and it is starting to shape every conversation about how the offense can function going forward. [Read more 🡒]