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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold will miss Sunday’s home game against the Arizona Cardinals due to a quad injury and reportedly faces the possibility of sitting out Week 10 as well.
Injury Timeline and Recovery Plan
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter via league sources, Darnold “is in danger of missing Seattle’s Week 10 game against the Raiders.” Schefter added that “Darnold could attempt to try to return for next Sunday’s game in Las Vegas, but the Seahawks also know that they have their bye the following week. By missing the next two games, Darnold could get the chance to rest the next three weeks before the Seahawks play a big divisional Week 12 game in San Francisco against the 49ers.”
Head coach Macdonald stated that Darnold is categorized as week-to-week but will not be placed on injured reserve. Darnold sustained a cracked rib on the second play during Monday’s defeat against the Chicago Bears and subsequently suffered the quad injury near the end of the match. Macdonald noted that it is the quad issue rather than the rib injury that sidelines Darnold for the Week 9 fixture.
Quarterback Alternatives for Seattle
Drew Lock is managing an elbow issue, but Macdonald indicated that Lock is slated to start if available, with Jalen Milroe serving as the backup against the Cardinals. The team does not currently have any additional quarterbacks on the roster, and Macdonald did not dismiss the possibility of signing another signal caller before Sunday.
Darnold has started seven games this season, recording a 60.2 percent completion rate with 1,478 yards, 10 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Lock previously started in Weeks 2 and 3 after Darnold picked up a glute injury in the season opener, and Lock most recently acted as the emergency third quarterback against the Bears while Milroe backed up Darnold.
The Seahawks initially added Lock to the injury report with a limited right forearm designation ahead of their Week 6 game against the Denver Broncos. He was subsequently listed as limited with a right elbow injury before being ruled out for the Week 7 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Following the October 25 match, Macdonald stated the team was unsure of the injury’s severity but considered it “best for us right now to try to calm it down the best we can.” By Wednesday, Macdonald reported that Lock was “able to throw,” though his participation level would depend on practice sessions during the week.
Milroe has not appeared in a game this season, having played only three snaps across three contests during his rookie year.
Standings and Playoff Outlook
The Seahawks hold a 4-4 record, sharing second place in the NFC West alongside the Los Angeles Rams, trailing the 6-1 San Francisco 49ers. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, a victory this week against the 3-5 Cardinals would elevate the defending champions’ playoff probability to 54 percent, whereas a defeat would reduce it to 29 percent. The extent of Lock’s participation in practice this week may signal whether Milroe will receive his first NFL start during this important divisional game.
