Analysis: Who Could Seahawks Sign as QB Insurance With Sam Darnold Sidelined?
Enjoying a weekend off after a season-opening 13-10 win over the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks will return to work on Monday to begin gearing up for their NFC West opener on the road against the Arizona Cardinals, but they will likely do so with franchise quarterback Sam Darnold unavailable.
Per various reports, Darnold could miss anywhere from one game to upwards of six weeks with a glute injury, creating plenty of uncertainty about how long Seattle could be without him. In his place, Drew Lock looks poised to make his first start since 2024, when he started a handful of games for the New York Giants, while second-year dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe will serve as the primary backup.
If Darnold potentially could be a short-term injured reserve candidate, which would require him to miss a minimum of four games, the Seahawks will certainly need to be in the market for another quarterback to at minimum sign to the practice squad. But in September, finding a quality insurance option at the most important position in professional sports can be tricky, especially when whoever signs on will have to rapidly learn offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s offense.
Looking at what may be available to the Seahawks, which quarterbacks should general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald consider bringing on board? Breaking potential candidates into three distinct groups, here are seven players who would make sense for the franchise based on experience, skill set, and upside among other factors:
