Some team just needs to give Drew Lock a real chance to be their starting quarterback for a bit. He might have had that chance with his first team, the Denver Broncos, but at the time, Denver was terrible. With the Seattle Seahawks, Lock has never been expected to be anything other than a backup.
Unless something happens to Sam Darnold (and please, no), then Lock is going to sit for two years and watch. By 2026, Lock might not even be QB2. Jalen Milroe might have passed him on the depth chart. That would make Lock irrelevant.
But Lock could find a new home soon. At least, in theory. He has a strong arm, throws a nice deep pass, and given the right weapons, he might be very good. For the Cincinnati Bengals, for instance, Lock could be a great fit as a temporary QB1.
Seattle Seahawks QB2 Drew Lock could be a great fit for the Bengals in place of Joe Burrow
Cincy needs that. Joe Burrow, one of the best quarterbacks in the league, injured his toe in Week 2 and will require surgery. He is expected to be out at least three months. In other words, for most of the rest of the season. The Bengals' backup is Jake Browning, and he isn't a long-term answer at QB1.
The Bengals do not currently have a backup for Browning on the roster. Instead, Cincinnati should do one better. It should trade for Drew Lock and make him QB1 for most of, if not all, the rest of the season.
Would Lock be able to get elite use out of receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins? Definitely. His arm strength is a perfect pairing with those receivers. The quarterback is athletic enough to create plays with his legs, too. Lock would give the Bengals a better chance to win than Browning.
The Seattle Seahawks would probably accept a middle-to-late-round draft pick for Drew Lock as well. In the 2026 NFL draft, Seattle doesn't have a draft pick in the seventh-round. Maybe Cincy offers Seattle a fifth-rounder and seventh-rounder for Lock and general manager John Schneider runs with that. He might if it's only a fifth-round choice.
The move would also be a win for Drew Lock. He would finally get a chance to start again, and with an abundance of weapons. He would probably look quite good, and when Joe Burrow does return, Lock might have done enough to prove he can be a QB1 somewhere.