He’s back. After spending a season away, the Seattle Seahawks announced on Friday they came to terms on a multi-year deal to bring back Quarterback Drew Lock. It is his second stint with the team. This comes in the same offseason where former starter, Geno Smith, was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. It left the Seahawks with a decision as to who they would task to lead them out onto the field come week one.
During his first season with Seattle in 2022, he did not appear in a game. He made four appearances (two starts) in 2023 throwing for 543 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions going 1-1 in games started. After proving he can be reliable when called upon, Seattle opted to bring him back. He now has the chance to compete for the starting job.
What Lock Brings To Seattle
Lock’s familiarity with the organization, combined with his veteran status in the NFL, make him a perfect fit for this season’s Seahawks squad. With Smith now gone and the quarterback position uncertain, signing Lock gives the team continuity as they try to figure out their long-term solution. Finishing the 2024 campaign at 10-7 but missing the playoffs, the Seahawks could look to Lock to help them build off last year and experience even more success in 2025.
The Seahawks will look different this season. In addition to trading Smith, the team also released longtime star Wide Receiver Tyler Lockett while also trading star Wide Receiver DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With this being the first time since 2014 without Lockett and the first time since 2018 without Metcalf, this year will be about figuring out a new identity and seeing which players can step up and become the next cornerstone piece for the franchise. Even if Lock ends up not starting this year, having him around could help accelerate the rebuild and help get the team to where they want to be.
Potential Other Options
Possessing the 18th overall pick in this year’s draft, it is highly unlikely that the Seahawks will land one of the top quarterbacks in the draft, but they could look to land a sleeper. While guys like Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and maybe even Jaxson Dart could go in the top 10-15, Seattle could be in a position to take one of the lesser touted quarterbacks, such as Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, or Will Howard.
That could make signing Lock look that much more beneficial. With rookie quarterbacks typically needing time to develop, Seattle could gamble on one of the lower-ranked quarterbacks and let them sit for a year behind Lock. It would give Lock the chance to shine while mentoring the prospective rookie. There have been many examples of young quarterbacks excelling after sitting for a season most recently Patrick Mahomes when he sat behind Alex Smith in 2017. If Seattle were to do that, it could be good for the long-term future of the franchise.
Final Thoughts
Lock coming back to Seattle is a good start toward giving Seattle what it needs. While the team will most likely look for a quarterback in the draft despite giving Sam Darnold a big contract, Lock gives them somebody they can rely on in the interim if nothing materializes in the draft. Despite an inconsistent career up to this point, Lock looked like he had found a home when he was in Seattle for the first time and he now has the chance to prove that even more over these next two years.
