Drew Lock returns to Seattle starting lineup after two-week absence

Drew Lock will start Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, his fourth start of the season for the Seattle Seahawks.

The move comes after Sam Darnold suffered a quad injury during Monday night's loss to the Chicago Bears. Lock, who is currently dealing with an elbow injury, said Thursday that he is prepared to take the field.

"I was prepared for this today. I was ready," Lock told reporters. He noted that he had a better process for handling the transition than he did earlier in the season.

Coach Mike Macdonald said Lock's elbow issue occurred during a rainy practice a few weeks ago. Lock stated that his arm is feeling much better after serving as an emergency option for the past two weeks. During that stretch, third-stringer Jalen Milroe served as the backup to Darnold.

Lock entered the season as a reserve but was thrust into action five plays into the opener against the New England Patriots. He started the following week against the Cardinals, helping Seattle win its first two games. In those two outings, he threw for 422 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions before Darnold returned in Week 3.

The Seahawks have lost three of their last four games, dropping to a 4-4 record. The team currently holds the eighth seed in the NFC and trails the San Francisco 49ers by two and a half games in the division race.

Offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, who is in his first season calling plays, acknowledged the difficulty of the current stretch. "It's been challenging, for sure," Fleury said. He added that he knew the expectations were high when he took the job after Klint Kubiak left for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Right guard Grey Zabel said the offense functions similarly with Lock under center. "It was very similar and a constant flow of things back there," Zabel said. He noted that the unit does not notice a drop-off in performance when Lock steps in.

The Seahawks rank 26th in expected points added per play on offense this season. The unit has found more success when the quarterback delivers passes quickly rather than relying on deep throws. In a 20-3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Darnold completed 20 of 28 passes for 257 yards.

Lock is in a contract year and turns 30 on Tuesday. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He lost his starting job in Denver entering the 2021 season and was traded to Seattle six months later.

Lock said the team has not panicked, but the players want to prove themselves. "It's given us an opportunity to have a little adversity, fight through this, see what we're made of," Lock said.

Milroe is expected to work with the starting unit during the week. Lock said he is excited to get back in the huddle and throw the football.