Commentary: QB Drew Lock is excited he’s a Seahawk. Should you be?

So, is this the guy?

Not exactly sure what size shoe Russell Wilson wears, but he might as well be a 30 for the guy trying to fill them. No quarterback – or player, for that matter — has had the impact that No. 3 provided for the Seahawks. He was the best to ever don a football jersey in Seattle – an eight-time Pro Bowler with a gold jacket waiting for him one day in Canton, Ohio. Everyone in this town knows this. And now as the Seahawks go about their post-Wilson existence, it appears the man they’ll entrust with their offense is … Drew Lock.

Are you satisfied?

On Monday, Lock met with the media for the first time since becoming a Seahawk via Seattle’s QB swap with the Broncos. As is standard for introductory news conferences, he teemed with optimism as a chance at redemption fell into his lap.

Lock’s three-year career has been lackluster. The former second-round draft pick has won just four times in his past 16 starts and led the league in interceptions two seasons ago despite playing just 13 games. But he is welcoming the change of scenery, the change of uniform and the potential for a change in results.

“Finding new teammates, new coaching staff, new energy, new this, new that, new feel, whatever it may be, a new practice field. I mean, it’s just the true definition of a fresh start; everything is new,” Lock said. “You get to make a new identity for everything, you get to come in and show these people how hard you want to work, how bad you want it, how bad you want to win football games. There’s just a lot of good that can come from a new chair in a meeting room. There’s just a lot that goes into all this, and a fresh start for me is really, really exciting.”

You could understand his excitement. He comes to a team with premier receivers in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, a seemingly premier running back in Rashaad Penny and a defense that – despite early struggles – finished 12th in points allowed last season. He’s pumped. But should you be?

Coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider insist they aren’t in rebuild mode, but it’s hard to think otherwise right now, no? Perhaps there’s another trade to be made to get another signal caller, but if Lock is the man behind center, the Seahawks can bump their heads on their ceiling by standing on their tippy toes.

It would be one thing to replace Wilson with an established QB with a lesser track record. I brought up Baker Mayfield in a column two days ago. But Lock — who seems like a great guy who I’d love to have prove me wrong – just hasn’t done much in this league.

Yes, he went 4-1 his rookie season after returning from a thumb injury in mid-November. Since then, though? Sixteen touchdown passes against 15 interceptions in 2020. An 0-3 record in his three starts last season, in which he tallied an 80.4 passer rating.

It’s not that there isn’t raw talent there – Carroll was sincere when he said the Seahawks were high on Lock entering the 2019 NFL draft. But the results have been shaky. Real shaky. And the idea of Lock leading this team back into playoff contention seems dubious.

This isn’t to say that the Seahawks are “punting” on next season. Nor is it to say that Lock will be the definitive starter. But Carroll and Schneider are bullish on him, with Schneider saying last week: “We have a ton of faith in Drew. We’re excited about it. We’re excited about a change of scenery for him.”

We’ll see if he can deliver.

These past 10 years might go down as the greatest decade of football the Seahawks have ever produced. One Super Bowl, two trips to the Big Game, eight playoff appearances, a plethora of future Hall of Famers – all headlined by a quarterback who will go down as an all-time great. This town has been spoiled – and it’s likely to be reminded of that in the rudest way possible.

Drew Lock comes off as a guy you want to root for regardless of what jersey he’s wearing. And everyone loves a great redemption story. Would be great to see him overcome the odds, but for now, those odds are stacked against him.