The biggest storyline surrounding the Seattle Seahawks revolves around the health of starting quarterback Sam Darnold, who was lost five plays into their Week 1 game. Seattle ended up winning 13-10 over the Patriots due to their stifling defense and backup quarterback Drew Lock, who will be taking the helm for the next few weeks.
Darnold is dealing with a unique soft tissue injury that doesn't necessarily have a concrete timeline, but the 12th Man may have received some good news. On Sunday morning, NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared a positive update about Darnold progressing with his recovery quicker than was initially thought. Darnold is still expected to miss the Week 3 road game against the Washington Commanders, but their Week 4 home showdown
against the Los Angeles Chargers appears to be within a realistic return window for him.
The full segment from Rapoport can be seen below.
From @NFLGameDay Morning: #Seahawks QB Sam Darnold is improving quicker than anticipated, while #Raiders TE Brock Bowers (knee) could return next week. pic.twitter.com/zAXWmrSWv9
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 20, 2026
For now, the Seahawks will be rocking with Drew Lock. Darnold has already been ruled OUT for the Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals. Despite Arizona winning last week over the Chargers, I do believe the Seahawks are in a great position to survive a game or two without Darnold.
Drew Lock is a capable backup, and it will be fascinating to see what a full week of practice can do for him and this Seattle offense.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Ian Rapoport shares positive injury update for Seahawks QB Sam Darnold
