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Adam Schefter, ESPN Senior Writer
Geno Smith is dealing with what is roughly considered a two-week injury to his groin, and as much as the Seahawks quarterback would like to try to play through it, Seattle is not expected to decide on his availability for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers until pregame warmups, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
If Smith cannot play, Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock will start. Smith officially is listed as questionable for the game, and sources told ESPN there are no assurances that he will make it through pregame warmups feeling well enough to play.
There also is the added factor that if Smith doesn’t play Sunday, he will have an extra day to prepare for the Seahawks’ next game Dec. 18 against the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday Night Football.”
Smith is known for his toughness and is intent on trying to push through the injury, but there are no assurances he will be able to, according to a source.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Friday that Smith “tweaked his groin a little bit” in practice Thursday when he stumbled over somebody and said “we’ll see” when asked if he believes Smith will play Sunday.
The Seahawks sounded guarded and uncertain Saturday night after they arrived in San Francisco. As tough as Smith is, they know there’s a real possibility they could be without him Sunday.
Smith, who also has battled knee and triceps injuries this season, was listed as limited Thursday and a nonparticipant Friday. Asked whether the Seahawks will need to see Smith work out pregame Sunday, Carroll said, “Yeah, we’re going to wait and see.”
Smith was still dealing with a triceps contusion from Seattle’s Nov. 19 game against the Rams when he tweaked his groin Thursday. He said before practice that his arm was getting better but that it still was “not close” to 100%.
In light of Smith’s latest injury, the Seahawks have taken measures to safeguard themselves for Sunday’s road game in San Francisco. Seattle signed quarterback Sean Mannion to the practice squad Friday, then elevated him to the active roster Saturday. Mannion spent last season on the Seahawks’ practice squad and was with the team in training camp in 2021.
Lock, 27, has played only 25 snaps — all this season — since the Seahawks acquired him from the Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade in March 2022. After Smith beat him out for the starting job that summer, Lock didn’t play a single snap in the regular season last season. He made two brief appearances this season in relief of an injured Smith, going 4-of-12 for 66 yards and an interception.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson contributed to this report.