Seahawks QBs Lock, Smith hope for edge in preseason opener

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The biggest question surrounding the Seattle Seahawks enters a new phase this weekend, one where the variables are out of their control.

The race between Geno Smith and Drew Lock to replace Russell Wilson as Seattle's starting quarterback will hit another gear beginning with Saturday's preseason opener at Pittsburgh.

That question won’t be answered solely by the results of the first preseason game. But it will be a significant step toward determining who will be the replacement for Wilson after he was traded to Denver in March.

So far, the question has lingered during offseason workouts and minicamps in the spring, the first couple weeks of training camp and a scrimmage last weekend where Lock seemed to gain some momentum after a strong outing with the No. 2 offense against the majority of Seattle’s starting defense.

But now the two QBs will face competition that won’t be wearing Seahawks colors and a different kind of evaluation.

Smith remains the leader in the competition and is expected be the first quarterback under center against the Steelers. When Smith stepped in for the injured Wilson last season, the Seahawks found a baseline for what Smith could do as the full-time starter. He kept Seattle competitive but also made critical mistakes in losses to Pittsburgh and New Orleans.

Because of his history with the team, Seattle has a rough idea of what Smith’s ceiling can be.

“We knew Geno. We knew his stuff, and we’ve seen a lot of him over the years,” Carroll said.