Getty After months of battling it out between Drew Lock and Geno Smith, the Seattle Seahawks finally named a starting QB.
The Seattle Seahawks have been dealing with a chaotic quarterback competition between Drew Lock and Geno Smith. After an entire week of speculation as to who would start the preseason finale, head coach Pete Carroll finally revealed the starting QB.
Appearing on the Mike Salk Show on Seattle Sports 710AM, Carroll announced that Smith would be the starter for the preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys. He also mentioned that while Smith would start, Lock would get significant playing time for the remainder of the game.
Smith was the starter for the preseason opener against Pittsburgh, and while Lock was expected to start the following game against Chicago, the competition took an unexpected turn when the young QB tested positive for COVID-19.
Now, Lock will have gone the entire preseason without an opportunity to start for the Seahawks in a preseason game. The competition has been fierce between Seattle’s two quarterbacks, but signs are pointing to Smith winning the starting job since he’s started all three preseason contests.
Geno Smith Has Earned Another Shot at QB1
It has been a long time since Smith was a starting quarterback in the NFL, but after spending years as a backup, the 31-year-old veteran has earned another shot at being a team’s starter under center.
Coming out of college at West Virginia, Smith was one of the most productive quarterbacks in the nation, throwing to exciting playmakers including Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. Over his final two seasons in Morgantown, Smith threw for 8,590 yards, 73 touchdowns, and only 13 interceptions, earning first and second All-Big East honors.
While he wasn’t a top QB prospect, Smith still went in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, getting picked up by the New York Jets. Smith quickly earned the starting job for them, but struggled with consistency in his first two seasons. He completed fewer than 60 percent of his passes, threw for 25 touchdowns compared to 34 interceptions, and led his team to just a 11-18 record as a starter.
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Smith was moved to the bench by his third NFL season in 2015, and has since bounced around the league as a backup with stints for the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers. He finally found his current home in 2019, when the Seahawks signed him to back up Russell Wilson.
The 31-year-old finally got an opportunity to start again in 2021, replacing an injured Wilson. In four games played he posted an impressive 103.0 passer rating with five touchdowns and just one interception.
With his experience with the team and impressive play last season, Smith has a very strong case to be the starting QB for Week 1 against Denver.
Can Drew Lock Win the Starting Job Before Week 1?
It’s an uphill battle for Lock, and the QB competition is quickly coming to a close, but there’s still some hope for the 25-year-old to win the starting job for Week 1.
Lock was a tremendously talented quarterback at Missouri, even leading the entire FBS with 44 passing touchdowns as a junior in 2017. However, after being selected by the Broncos in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Lock has struggled with consistency at the NFL level.
In three seasons, Lock has gone just 8-13 as a starter with 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He even led the NFL with 15 interceptions in his second season back in 2020. The Broncos decide to move on from Lock this past offseason, packaging him in the trade to Seattle for Russell Wilson.
Lock has only played one preseason game for the Seahawks, but he shined in limited action, completing 11 of 15 passes for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns. If he can have another productive night throwing the ball against the Cowboys, then there’s a real chance that he could contend for the Week 1 starting job.