In the wake of their Super Bowl victory, the Seattle Seahawks have often been praised for their depth on defense, specifically on the defensive line. Waves of pass rushers made it impossible for opposing offenses to keep up. But Seattle's most important backup may not be on the defense at all.
Quarterback Drew Lock gives the Seahawks much-needed security behind Sam Darnold. He's capable of stepping in whenever he's needed, though Mike Macdonald hopes to see him stay on the sideline.
Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports recently ranked the backup quarterback situations of 16 NFL contenders, and he placed Lock and Jalen Milroe fourth. Sullivan said, "he's looked at as one of the better backups in the league and has a solid chunk of starting experience on his résumé."
Drew Lock gives the Seattle Seahawks invaluable Sam Darnold insurance
Seattle signed Lock last offseason, bringing him back to the Seahawks after a one-year stint with the New York Giants. He started five games for the Giants in 2024, throwing for 1,071 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions on the season.
Darnold played in all 17 games last season, so Lock wasn't needed. He threw just three passes, completing two of them for 15 yards. Hopefully, the starting quarterback has a similar run of injury luck this year. If he does miss time, Seahawks fans can rest easy knowing that they have Lock waiting in the wings.
NFL teams have invested heavily in backup quarterbacks over the last few offseasons. Contending teams have been especially keen on improving QB depth, with teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Green Bay Packers pouring resources into the position over the last two years.
Lock is relatively cheap for a high-quality backup quarterback. He makes just $2.5 million per year on his current deal, ranking 50th in the NFL among QBs. Other backups, like Gardner Minshew and Jarrett Stidham, make more than double that figure.
The Seahawks invested more heavily in Milroe, spending a third-round pick on him in the 2025 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Milroe was only used as a runner. He's already on Seattle's roster bubble entering training camp.
Lock may not play a significant role in the 2026 campaign. The Seahawks hope that he doesn't. But the security that he provides this team is a sign of good roster building from general manager John Schneider.
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