This weekend's divisional round matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks has taken an interesting turn this Thursday. Moments ago, Sam Darnold was listed as questionable for this NFC West showdown.
Darnold has been very productive for the Seahawks this season, completing 67.7% of his passes for 4,408 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. In Week 18, he helped Seattle clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC by playing a turnover-free game against San Francisco.
Unfortunately for the Seahawks, Darnold is banged up heading into their most important game of the season. According to the coaching staff, Darnold is battling an oblique injury. It's unclear when or how he sustained this injury.
Seahawks reporter Gregg Bell caught Darnold using a Theragun on his side at practice. The former No. 3 pick seemed to be in good spirits despite this setback.
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What's the backup plan for Seattle?
In the event Darnold can't play this Saturday against the 49ers, veteran quarterback Drew Lock would get the start. He received reps with the first-team offense this afternoon.
"Drew has been very impressive throughout OTAs and training camp," Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak told reporters. "He has started a lot of football games in this league. We got a lot of confidence in Drew."
Lock, a former second-round pick, has thrown for 6,369 yards with 34 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. His ceiling isn't nearly as high as Darnold's, but the Seahawks have to feel comfortable knowing he's made 28 starts in his NFL career.
The Seahawks should have an update on Darnold prior to kickoff at 8 p.m. ET this Saturday.