> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Analysis: Who Could Seahawks Sign as QB Insurance With Sam Darnold Sidelined? - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/seattle-seahawks-quarterback-insurance-sam-darnold-sidelined/ - Published: 2026-09-14T19:05:35.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:10:21.000Z - Author: Corbin Smith - Tags: Analysis, Seahawks, Joe Milton, Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Mullens, Kyle Trask, Brett Rypien, Will Levis, Jake Browning 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: ### Seasoned Veteran Class **Best Option**: Jimmy Garoppolo In terms of being versed in the Shanahan style offense and having ample experience playing in it, there isn’t a quarterback on the market who offers more immediate value than Garoppolo, who at one point led the 49ers to a Super Bowl and had two seasons with 20-plus touchdown passes in the system. Injuries have been an issue for him and he hasn’t been a full-time starter since 2022, last throwing a pass in the regular season in a spot start against the Seahawks in Week 18 of the 2024 season. But considering he started 25 games for San Francisco after Fleury became the team’s tight end coach and had the best years of his career in the same offensive scheme, prior ties would make this the most obvious connection seeking a proven insurance policy while Darnold recovers and he would be eligible to sign with the practice squad. **Other Option**: Nick Mullens Spelling Garoppolo early in his career with 16 starts in his first three seasons, Mullens had some good moments with the 49ers orchestrating Shanahan’s offense, though he never could make a serious run at pushing for Garoppolo’s job with below average arm strength and limited upside. Still, he threw 25 touchdowns in three seasons with the team and has played for other play callers coming from the Shanahan tree, including Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota. Currently on Jacksonville’s practice squad, he could be a player worth taking a flier on short term, though not being able to put him on Seattle’s practice squad and having to sign him to the 53 makes this far less ideal. ### “Change of Scenery” Class **Best Option**: Joe Milton Once a decorated Michigan recruit, Milton wound up transferring to Tennessee and enjoyed a strong final season on Rocky Top before being drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round. He appeared in one game as a rookie, throwing one touchdown and completing 75% of his passes in an impressive NFL debut, but New England traded him in April 2025 to Dallas, where he appeared in parts of four games last season with one touchdown and two interceptions. He now sits as the third quarterback behind Dak Prescott and Sam Howell on the practice squad, remaining a tool-laden, uber-athletic developmental signal caller who has flashed against NFL talent in spurts. His play can be erratic at times, but his arm talent and running ability warrant a look and could be worth using a 53-man roster spot on to sign him. **Other Option**: Will Levis Physical tools have never been an issue for Levis, who can throw the pigskin a country mile and also has underrated running ability that can be utilized both extending plays and on designed concepts. Unfortunately, however, those tools never manifested into consistent performance in Tennessee, in large part due to mind-numbing mental mistakes cropping up far too often. He showed some promise as a rookie in 2023, throwing eight touchdowns compared to just four interceptions in nine starts, only to see his interception rate rocket up to 4% while posting a dreadful 2-10 record as a starter the following season, which led to the team investing the No. 1 overall pick in Cam Ward as his replacement. Still just 27 years old, he hasn’t been signed by anyone since the Titans released him last month. There’s a lot of boom or bust to his game, but as a developmental project on the practice squad, there’s far worse alternatives here. ### High Floor, Low Ceiling Class **Best Option**: Jake Browning Early in his career, Browning seized a backup job in Cincinnati and made the most of his opportunity replacing an injured Joe Burrow, throwing 12 touchdown passes with a 70% completion rate in nine games, nearly steering the Bengals to a playoff berth. He wasn’t near as effective in three starts for Burrow last year, however, throwing eight picks in 12 quarters to force the organization to acquire Joe Flacco as an immediate replacement. Lacking in the arm strength department, his underwhelming physical traits eventually caught up with him, and the Buccaneers didn’t keep him after signing him back in March, cutting him in favor of rookie Jalon Daniels. The former Washington star coming home would be a storyline and he did succeed at one point for a pupil of the Shanahan/McVay tree in Zach Taylor, but he’s a finished product without room for continued development at this point. **Other Options**: Kyle Trask, Brett Rypien Formerly a second round pick for the Buccaneers out of Florida, Trask toiled as a third string quarterback for much of his time with the organization, throwing a grand total of 11 regular season passes. Last year, Tampa Bay moved on from him and he spent much of the season without a team before signing with Atlanta’s practice squad in November. Carolina took a flier on him last month, only to waive him in final roster cuts. Like Levis, he’s still relatively young at 28 years of age, but he doesn’t offer the athleticism component as more of a statuesque pocket passer at 6-5, 238 pounds. This seems unlikely as a fit for the Seahawks, who would prefer someone with a bit more mobility. Another player who has been around the block, Rypien broke into the league with the Broncos and started a game as a rookie, throwing four interceptions in limited action. Since then, he has been with the Rams, Bengals, Colts, Vikings, Texans, Seahawks, and others, seeing game action in Los Angeles and Cincinnati. He has nine interceptions compared to four touchdowns in his career and hasn’t shown anything that suggests he should be starting games in the NFL, but he’s a savvy veteran who has played in similar offenses and could get up to speed quickly. That’s about where his upside starts and ends.