Sam Darnold’s Week 1 exit looked like a hip problem in the moment, but the Seahawks now have a different label for their quarterback’s injury. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Darnold is dealing with a glute issue, a painful setback that landed him on the sideline after just one drive against the New England Patriots.
The good news for Seattle is that this does not sound like something that should keep him out for long. The bad news is that Week 2 appears to be a stretch. Rapoport reported that Darnold will likely miss the matchup with the Arizona Cardinals, with the team and player expected to reassess after that.
That leaves the Seahawks leaning on Drew Lock, who handled his relief duty well against New England. Lock settled in, especially after halftime, and Seattle put up 13 points to claw back from a 10-point deficit. Nobody is asking for perfection from him against Arizona, but the Seahawks will need him to stay clean with the football and get it to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Seattle’s next stretch gets trickier after that. In Week 3, the Seahawks are set to travel to face the Washington Commanders, a team that remains hard to pin down.
Two seasons ago, they looked close to becoming an NFC force. Last season, injuries played a part in a rough year, including issues for quarterback Jayden Daniels.
For now, the key question is how Darnold handles the pain. His glute injury is not expected to disappear quickly, but it also should not worsen.
If he can move well enough to avoid pressure and pick up first downs when needed, there’s at least a chance he could return sooner than Week 3. That said, that remains an assumption, and things can change.
The Seahawks would also love to stop the injury pileup from growing. They have already lost wide receiver Jake Bobo, fullback Robbie Ouzts, and safety Bud Clark for the season. When Darnold does get back, Seattle will want him as close to full strength as possible.
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Seahawks Just Got A Break In A Crucial 49ers Matchup
A key piece of the 49ers passing game has suddenly gone missing, and that matters for the Seahawks as they look ahead in the NFC West race. Rookie receiver DeZhaun Stribling was injured in Week 1 against the Rams and initially tried to play through it before leaving on a non-contact sequence, a sign the issue was more serious than it first appeared.
Now San Francisco will be without the downfield threat for at least a month, leaving a noticeable hole in an offense that counts on his speed to stretch defenses. For Seattle, it is the kind of early-season break that can alter how a division matchup is played, even if the ripple effects will only become clearer once the 49ers start adjusting to life without him. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Just Got A Serious NFC West Warning From The 49ers
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For Seattle, the message is simple enough: if that defense holds anywhere near this level, the division race is going to stay tight. The Seahawks have plenty to sort out on their own side, but San Francisco showed against Los Angeles that it still has the personnel to make life difficult for every contender in the West. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Terrion Arnold Contract Question To Watch
The Seahawks left Week 1 with a win over the Patriots, but there is still a roster issue hanging over the early part of the season with Terrion Arnold. He remains on the Commissioners Exempt List while pending legal charges work their way through the process, and he is still being paid his base salary of $1,075,000 this season even as he sits away from team activity.
The bigger question for Seattle is what this means for Arnolds contract standing down the road. Time on the Exempt List does not count toward accruing seasons for free agency, which could affect how his future is classified if the situation lingers long enough. For a team trying to settle into the year after opening with a win, it is another off-field matter worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]