Sam Darnold won't play in Week 9 versus the Arizona Cardinals. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback injured his quad near the end of Week 8 in the team's loss to the Chicago Bears. Drew Lock is expected to start for Darnold, but he's dealing with an injury, too. Jalen Milroe might be the starter by the time the game starts.
This isn't speculation. This is what head coach Mike Macdonald said in his press conference on Wednesday when he announced that Darnold wouldn't be playing.
Lock has an elbow issue that has limited him in practice for a couple of weeks, and the risk in playing him in Week 9, if he isn't nearly fully healthy, is that he can't make all the throws needed to try to beat the Arizona Cardinals. The team is struggling to run the ball, so Lock being effective at passing is a must.
Sam Darnold's injury could open the proverbial door for Seattle Seahawks' Jalen Milroe
Fans will want to keep an eye on how practice goes this week. Milroe is going to get quite a few reps as QB1, according to Macdonald, and with Lock limited, Milroe has gotten most QB2 reps in drills. Is that enough to set him up for success in a real game? We might find out soon.
The concern about Milroe playing would be real. He's never started a game, and he hasn't played at all this season. Last season, as a rookie, he was only involved in some gimmicky plays and was never asked to throw a pass. If he plays against the Cardinals in Week 9, he will be accomplishing a lot of career firsts, most likely.
Still, there is a different way of looking at the situation. While unlikely, what if Jalen Milroe plays a lot against Arizona and does well both running and passing? That would be as surprising as it is welcome, but might also lead to a change in the future.
Only if Milroe can replicate the same good performance in the following week if Sam Darnold has to sit out. Macdonald said that Macdonald cracked a rib on the second play of the game against the Bears, but the worse injury was a quad strain near the end. He is week-to-week, but that implies he might not be ready in Week 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
If Milroe gets a chance to play against the Cardinals and does well, he should get the same chance in Week 10 if Darnold is out. Darnold is only signed through 2027 and is struggling quite a bit this season. Would a productive Jalen Milroe force a quarterback controversy next season?
That's the hope, but only because that would mean the team might be able to win games without Darnold. Ultimately, however the Seattle Seahawks need to win games is what matters most.
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