Sam Darnold reportedly hasn’t thrown a football in more than two days, suddenly raising some red flags as to the Seattle Seahawks QB's availability in Saturday’s Divisional Round matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Seattle isn’t tipping their hand as to whether his oblique injury is serious enough to actually keep him out, but the fact that it's still a question at all is a concern — especially considering everything Darnold has at stake after his playoff debut a year ago went up in flames.
Hopefully Darnold will be able to go at something close to 100 percent. If he is out, though, at least the Seahawks have a seasoned veteran-in-waiting who might potentially be able to save the day. Drew Lock has bounced around the league about as much as Darnold, with stops in Denver and most recently with the New York Giants last season before landing in Seattle. But how did it all begin for him in the NFL?
Here’s a look at where Drew Lock went to college and how he carved out an NFL career despite being labeled a bust early on.
Remembering Drew Lock’s college career at Missouri
Believe it or not, Lock was one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC during his four seasons as Missouri. In 2017, he was named to the All-SEC first team, and he earned second-team All-SEC honors the next year. He also led FBS in passing touchdowns (47) in 2017, adding a career-high 3,964 passing yards.
Unfortunately, all those gaudy stats didn't add up to a ton of team success during his time in Columbia. Lock started 46 career games and posted just a 21-25 overall record while at Mizzou, without even a single bowl win to show for his efforts.
Why Drew Lock's NFL career gives Seattle a glimmer of hope
It feels like Lock has been all over the NFL since he was drafted in the second round by the Denver Broncos back in 2019. He spent his first three years as a pro in Denver, posting a 4-1 record over his first five starts as a rookie. After that, though, things crashed back to Earth: He went 4-9 in 13 starts in year two, and then 0-3 in three starts in 2021.
Eventually the Broncos lost faith in him, and as part of the blockbuster deal that brought Russell Wilson to Denver, Lock was sent to Seattle — where he promptly sat for a season behind Geno Smith. He did have one moment in the sun, however: With Smith out injured for a primetime game against the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in 2023, Lock stepped up, leading a 92-yard touchdown drive to win the game in the final minutes.
Lock to JSN for the lead!
— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2023
📺: #PHIvsSEA on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/bbJNB6yPkz pic.twitter.com/t7q0x5073q
Lock hit free agency that offseason, eventually signing with the New York Giants to serve as Daniel Jones' backup in 2024. But after Jones was waived amid another last season, Lock was suddenly thrust into starting duty for the home stretch, inadvertently altering the course of Giants history. With Big Blue hurtling toward the No. 1 overall pick in Week 17, Lock delivered the game of his life out of nowhere, throwing for 309 yards and five TDs to lead New York to a stunning win over the Colts — a win that dropped New York down to No. 3 and cost the team the chance to draft QB Cam Ward.
Lock appeared in eight games in all with New York, and recorded just that one win in five starts. With New York starting over, he decided to re-sign with Seattle, again occupying backup duties after the Seahawks swapped Smith for Darnold.
Sam Darnold’s injury could give Drew Lock his moment in the spotlight
It’s not ideal that Darnold could be out in the biggest game of the season, but if you need someone to turn to in a last-minute emergency, Lock isn’t the worst option. He hasn’t had a great NFL career, sure, but he’s good enough to rely on in a pinch, with a big arm and the ability to make pro-level throws. If he does have to play on Saturday, it will come down to how much the Seahawks simplify the game for him. Like Darnold, the less Lock has to worry about doing, the better.
Seattle has the playmakers to make it easy on Lock, too. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is having a career season, and Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet have combined for nearly 1,800 rushing yards. Lock doesn’t need to be a superstar, which is why it just might work out for the Seahawks if he's in and Darnold is out.
This season, Lock has played in five games, but only thrown three passes. That would be a cause of concern if he weren’t a veteran. But given his experience, Lock should be fine, and Seahawks fans shouldn’t worry. I would only worry if Lock has to start multiple playoff games. For one game, he should be able to hold his own, especially with how many injuries San Francisco is dealing with and how good this Seattle defense has been.