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Brady HendersonESPN
Seattle Seahawks General manager John Schneider made it clear before the start of free agency that the team wanted to re-sign the backup quarterback Drew Lock in addition to the starter Gene Smith.
After keeping Smith on a three-year deal earlier this month, they accomplished that goal by agreeing to terms with Lock on Thursday.
On his weekly radio show on Seattle Sports 710-AM, general manager John Schneider confirmed an NFL Network report that Seattle would bring Lock back, although he declined to say the terms of the deal.
“What a wonderful man,” Schneider said. “Everything he’s been through. We’ve talked about it a lot, coming here, competing with Geno, having COVID — the timing is really bad for him. Game 2 (of the preseason) is going to be his game against Chicago here, and then he got really sick. He didn’t have legs against Dallas (in the preseason finale). So just really excited. Really happy for him.”
Schneider also confirmed a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Seattle has agreed to terms with the former Detroit Lions middle Evan Brown. The deal is for one year, a source told ESPN. Schneider said the 26-year-old Brown can play guard but is “really a center.” Brown started at right guard for Detroit last season and is at center in 2021.
Lock, who turned 26 in November, was acquired last year Russell Wilson trade and one of the main reasons why the Seahawks wanted to send Wilson to Denver Broncos. He was considered the favorite by many in the organization to win the starting job heading into last season. He was up and down in the offseason and began to make up ground on Smith over a stretch of the summer, but his momentum was halted when he came down with COVID-19, sidelining him for what was initially his start of the preseason.
He did not play a single snap in the regular season. After the playoff loss to the 49ers, Lock told ESPN that his front-row view of Smith’s comeback season was “inspiring” because it reminded him — and other backup quarterbacks — that he can they play at a high level.
In his season-ending news conference, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll praised Lock for the positive attitude he maintained despite not getting a chance to play.
Denver’s 2019 second-round pick out of Missouri, Lock went 8-13 as a starter in his three seasons with the Broncos, throwing 25 touchdowns to 20 interceptions while completing 59.3% of his passes over a span of that.
The best stretch of Lock’s career came at the end of his rookie season. After missing the first 11 games with a thumb injury, he started the final five, threw seven touchdown passes to three interceptions and led Denver to four wins.
Brown and Lock became the third and fourth players Seattle added or brought back since the start of the negotiating window on Monday. The team announced the signing of defensive tackles Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed on Thursday. Schneider said the Seahawks are still in talks with “a number” of other defensive linemen as they look to shore up an area of concern from last season.
The Seahawks agreed to a three-year, $51.53 million deal with Jones on Monday. Schneider said Jones was among the players Seattle discussed with the Broncos last offseason while negotiating the Wilson trade, but Denver didn’t want to part with him then.