Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold split reps in practice this week with backup Drew Lock due to a nagging oblique injury, but the former Jet still is expected to start Sunday’s NFC Championship against the Rams in Seattle.
Darnold had been listed as questionable with the same injury last week, but he completed 12-of-17 passes for 124 yards and one touchdown in a 41-6 rout of the 49ers.
Darnold “attempted only short and medium throws at practice and did not, as one source described, ‘let it rip’” during practice this week, according to ESPN.
Seattle coach Mike Macdonald told reporters earlier this week that the lighter throwing schedule was by design to manage Darnold’s injury, before adding Friday that the two-time Pro Bowler has been improving daily.
Lock replaced Darnold for Seattle’s final two series in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s blowout win over San Francisco, but the seven-year veteran did not attempt a pass.
Darnold was expected to receive a pain-killing injection ahead of Sunday’s game, as he did last week, according to ESPN. He initially suffered the injury in practice two days before the win over San Francisco.
The Seahawks will be without running back Zach Charbonnet, however, after he suffered a torn ACL against the 49ers.
Darnold was the third overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Jets, but he was traded to Carolina in 2021. After an additional stint with the 49ers, the former USC star revived his career last season with the Vikings before landing a three-year contract worth $100.5 million with the Seahawks in free agency.
He threw for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, leading Seattle to an NFC-best 14-3 mark this year, his second straight season above the 4,000-yard plateau.
