Seahawks bring back QB Lock, reach deal with C/G Brown

By Tim Booth / Associated Press

RENTON — The Seattle Seahawks are bringing back the same quarterback combo from last season and addressed one of their needs on the offensive line.

Seattle reached agreement with quarterback Drew Lock and offensive lineman Evan Brown on one-year contracts on Thursday. Seattle general manager John Schneider confirmed the agreements during his weekly radio show on KIRO-AM.

Seattle also announced the signings of defensive linemen Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed that had been agreed to earlier this week.

Lock’s return keeps continuity in Seattle’s quarterback room after the Seahawks signed Geno Smith to a new contract earlier this month. Lock was part of Seattle’s return in the trade that sent Russell Wilson to Denver last offseason. Lock was in competition with Smith for the starting job into training camp, but was never able to overtake Smith and earn a starting opportunity.

Still, the Seahawks raved about Lock’s preparation and their belief in him if he had been called upon during the season.

“He was great. You know, both those guys were awesome with pushing each other and then the support that they showed,” Schneider said.

Lock started 21 games during his three seasons in Denver, but hasn’t played in a regular-season game since the end of the 2021 season.

Schneider said Brown was being signed to be a center for the Seahawks, which will fill a need. Brown started 24 games over the past two seasons with Detroit at both center and guard. But center was a position where the Seahawks had to find an answer after Austin Blythe, Seattle’s starting center last season, retired after the season.

Brown has the versatility to play guard, but Seattle did re-sign guard Phil Haynes, who split time with veteran Gabe Jackson last season. Brown also spent time with Miami, the New York Giants and Cleveland before finding a chance at consistent playing time with the Lions.

The line of scrimmage was going to be an offseason priority for Seattle and that’s been the case in the early stages of free agency with the signings of Jones and Reed, and the agreement with Brown.