Drew Lock: Can Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Trust QB?

After Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock had a strong performance in the team's preseason opener, coach Pete Carroll emphasized Lock's importance to the offense

The Seattle Seahawks found a lot to like in their 24-13 preseason win over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, particularly the performance of backup quarterback Drew Lock.

After not playing a single regular-season snap in his first year in Seattle, Lock looked poised and in control of the offense on Thursday. The former Denver Broncos quarterback completed 17 of his 24 passes for 191 yards with two touchdowns and one tipped interception, plus three rushes for 14 yards. With a strong showing after not playing for so long, Lock caught the attention of Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.

"I thought Drew did really well tonight, did a nice job," Carroll said after the game. "I believe the ball got tipped on the pick. He was reading the right guy and all that. Ball got tipped at the line of scrimmage. Other than that, he was in command, had a nice night."

While Lock didn't see the field last year, Carroll does not want that to be the case this season. Carroll made sure to emphasize just how important Lock is to the offense, and stated that the quarterback needs to be prepared at a moment's notice.

"I want him to be ready to start games," Carroll said. "I want him to be ready to play football games and win championship games for us. He needs to play to do that. He sat around all last year. This formula of him getting three quarters, that's great for him just to be out there playing football. He's going to play a lot."

Before coming to Seattle in the Russell Wilson trade, Lock spent the first three years of his career with the Denver Broncos. The former second-round pick started 20 games for the Broncos and showed flashes of promise, but consistency was a big issue throughout his time in Denver. Even still, Lock was in the running for the Seahawks' starting job last season, but ultimately lost out to Geno Smith and the rest is history.

Despite not playing last season, Lock still enjoyed his time in Seattle enough to return for another year. If Carroll's comments are anything to go by, Lock will get to see the field much more this year.

---

You can find Jonathan Alfano on Twitter @JonAlfano_News

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Seahawks?

Click Here to subscribe to AllSeahawks.com's Newsletter.

Follow All Seahawks.com on Twitter and Facebook

Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @lockedonseahawks today! Click here To Listen.

Want even more Seattle Seahawks news? Check out the SI.com team page here.