Drew Lock will miss the Seattle Seahawks’ preseason game against the Chicago Bears on Thursday night after testing positive for COVID-19, the team announced Tuesday night.
Earlier on Tuesday, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll announced that Lock would start the team’s second preseason game. Now, Geno Smith is in line to get the nod under center.
“We had planned well back before the offseason even started to get to this game, the second game, Geno would be the starter in (the mock game) at Lumen (Field) and the opening game, then we would go with Drew in the second game,” Carroll said after practice on Tuesday.
The quarterback spent his first three seasons with the Denver Broncos before being dealt to Seattle in the Russell Wilson blockbuster. He is competing with Smith for the starting job, but Carroll maintains that Smith is currently expected to come out on top.
“Geno's still the No. 1 guy, he's holding onto his spot at this point,” Carroll said. “I really like what Drew has shown us. … Both of our guys can play. That's what we do know, they both can play.”
Lock and Smith had similar completions and yards in the Seahawks’ preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Smith went 10-for-15 with 101 passing yards, while Lock went 11-for-15 with 102 yards to go along with two passing touchdowns.
After Thursday’s exhibition, the Seahawks end the preseason in Dallas on Aug. 26 before opening the regular season at home on Monday Night Football against Wilson and the Broncos.