Sam Darnold has been ruled out for the Seahawks' Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals, according to The Athletic's Jonathan Jones. The quarterback will not be placed on injured reserve, a decision that signals Seattle expects his absence to be brief.
The injury is a soft tissue issue related to his glute, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald explained. It is a unique injury, Macdonald said, though he did not offer a specific timeline for Darnold's return. The fact that the team is keeping him off injured reserve, which would force a minimum four-game absence, suggests they believe he can return sooner rather than later.
Darnold sustained the injury in the Seahawks' season opener against the New England Patriots. He left the game only five plays in, having completed just one pass for 13 yards. Drew Lock replaced him and led Seattle to the win, throwing for 187 yards and a touchdown.
Lock will start again on Sunday against the Cardinals. It is a significant opportunity for the backup, who has bounced around the league since being drafted in the second round in 2019. He spent three seasons with the Denver Broncos before moving to Seattle, where he has been waiting for a chance to prove he can be a reliable starter.
The Seahawks are hoping to improve to 2-0. Arizona, their opponent, is coming off a 26-14 upset win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1, a result that turned heads around the league. The Cardinals were widely expected to struggle this season, but their defense looked sharp against the Chargers, and their offense moved the ball efficiently.
That win gives Arizona confidence heading into this matchup. The Seahawks, meanwhile, will be relying on a quarterback who has not started a full season since 2020. Lock's performance against the Patriots was solid, but it came in relief, with the game plan already in place for Darnold. A full week of preparation as the starter is a different challenge.
Macdonald did not say whether Darnold's injury could worsen if he tries to play too soon. He only confirmed that the quarterback is out for this game and that the team is taking a cautious approach. The Seahawks have a short week after this one, with a Thursday night game against the San Francisco 49ers looming. That schedule could factor into how they handle Darnold's recovery.
For now, the focus is on Lock and the Cardinals. Seattle's defense, which held the Patriots to 20 points in Week 1, will need to replicate that performance against an Arizona offense that looked more explosive than expected. Kyler Murray, when healthy, is one of the more dynamic quarterbacks in the league, and he will test a Seahawks secondary that has new faces in key spots.
Lock, for his part, has shown flashes of talent throughout his career. He has a strong arm and can make plays with his legs, but he has also been prone to turnovers. Against a Cardinals defense that forced mistakes from the Chargers, protecting the football will be essential.
The Seahawks have not said whether Darnold will travel with the team to Arizona. They have also not given a timeline for his return beyond this week. What is clear is that they believe this is a short-term issue, not a season-defining one.
Darnold signed with Seattle in the offseason after a resurgent year with the San Francisco 49ers, where he filled in admirably when called upon. The Seahawks brought him in to stabilize the position after a turbulent stretch. Losing him for any amount of time tests that plan.
Lock will get his chance to show he can hold the job until Darnold is ready. The Seahawks are 1-0, and a win on Sunday would put them in a strong position early in the season. The Cardinals, though, will have something to say about that. Their Week 1 performance was no fluke, and they will arrive in Seattle believing they can win.
Kickoff is set for Sunday. Lock will be under center, Darnold will be watching, and the Seahawks will find out just how deep their quarterback room really is.
According to Yahoo Sports.
