Seahawks bring back familiar face as Sam Darnold backup

The Seattle Seahawks are bringing back quarterback Drew Lock on a one-year deal, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.

Lock, a 2019 second-round pick by the Denver Broncos, was part of the blockbuster trade that sent Russell Wilson to the Mile High City in March of 2022.

He did not play at all in 2022 as Geno Smith took every single snap, but saw a good bit of action in 2023. He completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 543 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in four appearances, including two starts.

By far Lock's most memorable moment as a Seahawk came in a Monday Night Football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 18, 2023. With the Seahawks trailing by four late in the fourth quarter, Lock found Jaxon Smith-Njigba behind the defense for a 29-yard touchdown to give his team the lead.

The Seahawks snapped a four-game losing streak with that victory and gave themselves a fighting chance at the postseason.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock looks to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Lock left the Seahawks and signed a one-year deal with the New York Giants last offseason. Though he began the year as a backup to Daniel Jones, Lock saw a good deal of action later on and even started five games. The 28-year-old completed 59.1 percent of his passes for 1,071 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions on the year.

Now, Lock returns to Seattle to back up Sam Darnold, who joined the Seahawks on a three-year deal worth just north of $100 million last month. Darnold has dealt with injuries a bit in the past, so having a capable backup is a good idea.

Sam Howell, who was the Seahawks' backup to Geno Smith last season, apparently did not impress enough to keep that role. Howell completed five of 14 passes for 24 yards and an interception in his brief action last season.

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