A Super Bowl contender is only as strong as its weakest link. That's why the best teams in the league spare no effort in their quarterback room, knowing that having a strong backup can make-or-break a once-promising season.
That's why the Seattle Seahawks shouldn't sweat Sam Darnold's absence in Week 2 versus the Arizona Cardinals. If anything, this game might create a different type of problem: Opposing teams will try to steal their QB2.
While Darnold is the undisputed leader of the offense and his job isn't in jeopardy, Lock can be the next late bloomer to complete his redemption arc and find a new home after a brief tenure as a backup.
Drew Lock is auditioning for his post-Seattle Seahawks future
Lock had a decent, uneventful performance against the New England Patriots, but the context is entirely different ahead of Week 2. With all due respect, the Seahawks will step down in class by taking on the Cardinals.
More than that, Lock was pretty much thrown into the fire with little to no preparation, but he's now had nearly two weeks to prepare with the starters, get first-team reps, and work on a playbook designed specifically for his strengths.
This is the perfect setting for a player like Lock. He's a true gunslinger, sometimes to a fault, and the Cardinals' secondary isn't necessarily the strongest; they'll have a tough time keeping up with Rashid Shaheed's vertical speed and Jaxon Smith-Njigba's quick twitch.
For the first time in a long while, Lock won't have any pressure to perform. He's already playing with house money, and while he's had an underwhelming career as a starter, he's still young in quarterback years. There's always a strong market for once-promising signal-callers at a discount.
We've seen it happen with Mac Jones, who'll likely be one of the most sought-after guys in the league this offseason. It also happened to Malik Willis, who just got a multi-year, very lucrative deal to be the Miami Dolphins' next quarterback.
Sometimes, players just need a change of scenery and a winning environment to fulfill their true potential. Lock has the league's best defense, giving him a fighting chance; he has the reigning Offensive Player of the Year and doesn't have to deal with the pressure of having to be the man.
Even if he balls out and puts up 300+ yards and three scores with no picks, this is and will continue to be Sam Darnold's team until proven otherwise. Even so, Lock might be playing for a job when he takes the field on Sunday.
And as much as the Seahawks would look to keep him around for the long run and have him stay put as Darnold's backup, he can earn the right to get a team of his own. It would be sad to see him go, but it will all be worth it if he can keep the team afloat in Darnold's absence.
Add us as a preferred source on Google