Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock said his elbow injury is improving and that he expects to be ready to start Sunday against the Cardinals in Week 9.
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Drew Lock said he is feeling good and expects his improving elbow injury will not limit him as he prepares to start for the Seahawks on Sunday, Nov. 8 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Lock will take over in Seattle’s starting lineup in place of injured quarterback Sam Darnold, with the Seahawks getting ready for their second matchup of the season against Arizona. Lock also said he is “really excited” after a couple weeks of not throwing too much during practice.
“I’m really excited, especially after a couple weeks of not throwing too much,” Lock said before Thursday’s practice. “Being able to get out in the huddle with the guys and throw the football and spin it around. Any chance you get to go out there and do that, it’s an exciting time.”
Lock said the elbow issue that caused him to be inactive in each of the past two games as the team’s emergency third quarterback is coming along.
“It’s doing a lot better,” Lock said. “It’s doing good. I’m excited to be back out there. It felt great to get under center and rip some balls yesterday, so it feels good.”
While Lock was listed as limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, he said he is prepared to work through the week without holding back. “I’m going at it like a normal week,” Lock said. “If the training staff want to pull it back a bit, but then we’ll let them back that decision, but I’m expecting to go take every rep.”
In his most recent appearance before Sunday’s scheduled start, Lock completed 73.1 percent of his pass attempts for 235 yards with three touchdowns, no turnovers and a 139.1 passer rating in a Week 2 win over the Cardinals.
This season, the team said Lock has thrown four touchdown passes with no turnovers in two victories, posting a 127.3 passer rating.
The Seahawks’ offensive and line groups also voiced confidence in Lock’s ability to step in. Guard Grey Zabel said, “We have the utmost confidence in whoever's back there. Drew being the guy that he is, the competitor, the athlete, the gunslinger—love everything about the swagger and the moxie that he has. It's not going to change anything in our offense. He's a guy that's going to fill in and excel in his role and be the best quarterback, teammate and person he can be.”
Right tackle Abraham Lucas said, “Drew's (Lock) always been a good quarterback. Regardless of who (we have at quarterback) or who we are blocking for, we have the utmost confidence in them. I know Sam will attack his rehab, and Drew will step in and be the best version of himself for us, so I have all the confidence in him.”
Offensive coordinator Brian Fleury said the preparation process has been aided by Lock having already faced Arizona this season. “There's obviously a little bit of an adjustment, but I'm comfortable with what Drew likes and what he's comfortable executing, particularly against this defense,” Fleury said. “Luckily this is something we've been through before. It was easy to put the plan together once we got the news he was going to be the starter.”
Lock has 29 career starts and has experienced multiple opportunities as a starter since entering the NFL as a second-round pick in 2019. He said he has approached the latest chance in Week 9 with gratitude for the opportunity, describing it as “something that 10 years ago” he would not have taken for granted.
“I look at it as a big thing,” Lock said. “It's an awesome thing. Maybe being a big deal isn't the right word, but more of an excitement, gratitude, and thankfulness towards this that I'm sitting here today and I get to go be the quarterback this weekend for the Seattle Seahawks.”
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