Geno Smith out, Drew Lock makes 1st Seahawks start vs 49ers

The Seattle Seahawks will look to snap a three-game losing streak on Sunday, and they’re turning to their backup quarterback to get the job done.

Pete Carroll Previews Seattle Seahawks’ 2nd matchup with the 49ers

Drew Lock is making his first start for the Seahawks against the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers in the 1:05 p.m. game on Seattle Sports. Starting quarterback Geno Smith is inactive due to a groin injury he suffered in practice.

Smith, a 2022 Pro Bowler, was already dealing with an elbow injury suffered three weeks ago in Los Angeles, but he popped up on the injury report Thursday with a groin injury. He was a limited participant for practice that day and did not practice Friday. He was listed as questionable to play against the 49ers.

Smith was one of the best quarterbacks in football last year, leading the NFL in completion percentage and finishing in the top 10 in yards and passing touchdowns.

It’s been more of a struggle for Smith and the Seahawks’ offense this year as he’s completed 64.4% of his passes for 2,918 yards, with 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions in 12 games.

Lock’s last start in the NFL was Week 18 in 2021 when he was with the Denver Broncos. Lock came to Seattle last year in the Russell Wilson trade and competed with Smith for the starting job in training camp, but he didn’t play at all in 2022. He re-signed with the Seahawks this past offseason on a one-year deal and has appeared in two games, completing 4 of 12 passes for 66 yards and an interception.

In Lock’s career, the 2019 second-round pick from Missouri has a 58.9% completion rate for 4,806 yards, 25 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 26 games (21 starts).

Lock will be facing a tough 49ers team that dominated the Seahawks on Thanksgiving 31-13.

The good news for Lock and the Seahawks is that top running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet are both active after being listed as questionable. Walker has missed the last two weeks with an oblique injury and Charbonnet, a rookie, left last week’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys with a knee injury.

Rounding out Seattle’s inactives list in Seattle are cornerback Tre Brown (heel), receiver Dee Eskridge (ribs), offensive linemen McClendon Curtis and Raiqwon O’Neal, and linebacker Patrick O’Connell. Defensive tackle Jarran Reed and linebacker Jordyn Brooks are both active after being listed as questionable to play.

Here is the inactives list for the 49ers:

Elijah Mitchell and Spencer Burford are inactive for #SEAvsSF.

Full Week 14 @DignityHealth inactives: https://t.co/NmduzSgh6e. pic.twitter.com/CKZW8sby6I

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 10, 2023

Seahawks Radio Network coverage of Sunday’s game is live on Seattle Sports 710 AM, KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM, and the apps for Seattle Sports, KIRO Newsradio and the Seattle Seahawks. For details on how to stream the game, click here.

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