Seattle Seahawks' Drew Lock to miss start Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19

RENTON, Wash. — Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Thursday's second preseason game, the team announced Tuesday.

The news came roughly 90 minutes after coach Pete Carroll declared that while Geno Smith was still leading Seattle's quarterback competition, Lock would start Thursday against the Chicago Bears. Instead, Lock will have to isolate for at least five days in accordance with CDC guidelines, which the NFL is now following after putting its COVID protocols on pause.

Lock is vaccinated against COVID-19, according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold.

Speaking to reporters after practice — before the announcement of Lock's positive test — Carroll also revealed the Seahawks are hoping to have rookie running back Kenneth Walker III available for their season opener as the second-round picks deals with a hernia.

Lock's positive test was a surprising twist to what was already a noteworthy development in the battle to replace Russell Wilson. For the first time all offseason, Lock took all of Seattle's first-team reps on Tuesday in preparation to start Thursday. Lock, who had gotten only a handful of practice reps with the No. 1 offense until Tuesday, threw an interception during an 11-on-11 period and looked shaky in his most extended action with the starters.

Carroll said Tuesday that the plan all along has been to start Lock in the second preseason game. Smith started their mock game at Lumen Field and their preseason opener at Pittsburgh last weekend.

«This is part of the plan,» Carroll said. «Regardless of what happened, we were going to give Drew a chance to start a game and just see what happens. Fortunately, he's played really well and he deserves a shot to play just like