# Why Seattle kept Drew Lock around

> Sam Darnold's injury put Seattle's backup plan to the test, and the Seahawks think they already built the right one.
- Title: Why Seattle kept Drew Lock around · Seattle Seahawks On SI
- Summary: Sam Darnold's injury put Seattle's backup plan to the test, and the Seahawks think they already built the right one. A good backup quarterback doesn't have…
- Keywords: seahawks, nfl, drew lock, sam darnold, quarterbacks, sports, Seattle, kept, Drew, Lock, around, Seattle Seahawks On SI
- Source: Seattle Seahawks On SI — https://si.com/nfl/seahawks/onsi/sam-darnold-injury-seattle-seahawks-signed-drew-lock
- Published: 2026-09-15T19:00:01+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: seahawks, nfl, drew lock, sam darnold, quarterbacks, sports
## Starter down, no panic
Seattle is one of three teams already nursing a hurt starting quarterback. Sam Darnold is banged up in Week 1 and the front office is not treating it as a crisis.
## The backup they trust
Drew Lock has spent three of the last four seasons in Seattle. That history is the reason the Seahawks feel fine handing him the offense against Arizona in Week 2.
## Most teams are sunk
Albert Breer's framing is blunt: almost nobody survives losing a starter for the year. The realistic goal is bridging a short absence, not replacing the guy.

> The reality is that most teams are screwed if the starter goes down for the season.
## Three to six weeks
One estimate puts Darnold's absence at three to six weeks, though the team itself has not set a timetable. That window is exactly the kind Lock is built to cover.
## His last Seattle start
Lock has not played in a Seahawks uniform since Week 15 of 2023, when he went 22 of 33 for 208 yards and a touchdown in a 20-17 Monday night win.
## Set the bar honestly
Nobody expects a breakout. Lock is there to keep games close and give the roster a chance, the same way he steadied things in the opener against New England.

> Lock is not going to be the second coming of Kurt Warner.
## Run it and shorten games
With Lock under center the plan is obvious: lean on the ground game, drain the clock, and hand the ball back to a defense that can win on its own.
## The identity holds
Seattle is a defense-first team whether Darnold or Lock takes the snaps. Sticking to that identity matters most over the next few weeks. Kickoff in Arizona is Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PT.
## Key takeaway

A good backup quarterback doesn't have to win games alone, he has to keep the season intact until the starter returns.