INDIANAPOLIS – Seattle Seahawks general manager and president of football operations John Schneider met with the media Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine, the first time he’s done so since the end of the 2024 season.
Schneider talked about contract negotiations with quarterback Geno Smith and middle linebacker Ernest Jones IV, the future of receiver Tyler Lockett, a new role for the organization with future Hall of Fame offensive lineman Jason Peters and more.
Here are highlights:
Schneider says team expects Smith ‘to be our guy’
Smith has one year remaining on a contract he signed in March 2023 but wants an extension – and it’s become routine for teams to give QBs new deals as they enter the final season of their current one.
Schneider said the team will meet with Smith’s agent, Chafie Fields, this week and “see where it goes.”
It’s been thought that a deal would likely get done before March 16, when a $16 million roster bonus in his deal becomes guaranteed.
Schneider said there is no deadline, while reiterating the team’s commitment to Smith as quarterback.
“No. He’s got another year,” Schneider said. “But we expect him to be our guy, but we want to do what’s right, too.”
Schneider said he didn’t want to get into the specifics of the conversations.
Asked a question that referenced Smith saying he feels like he’s a top-10 quarterback and wants to be paid as such, Schneider seemed to confirm that remains Smith’s goal.
“We’ve had great conversations with him, but obviously he’s confident and that’s the way he rolls,” Schneider said.
Smith is due to have a cap hit of $44.5 million in 2025 that includes the roster bonus plus a $14.8 million nonguaranteed salary.
The base average per year of his current contract of $25 million per season ranks 19th in the NFL in 2025 among quarterbacks, according to Spotrac.com. Arizona’s Kyler Murray is 10th at $46.1 million.
Schneider said whatever works out with Smith won’t likely be all the Seahawks do this offseason in regards to quarterbacks.
Schneider indicated they will look seriously at taking a QB in the draft. The Seahawks have the 18th overall pick as well as 50 and 72 in the second and third rounds.
The Seahawks have not drafted a quarterback since taking Alex McGough in the seventh round in 2018.
“Well, hopefully the board talks to us, right? And maybe we draft a quarterback,” Schneider said.
Schneider said he thinks new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s scheme could be a better fit for backup Sam Howell than Ryan Grubb’s scheme, and said he thinks Howell could still fit into the team’s QB equation.“I want to see Sam with these guys, with Klint, with all the boots (bootleg plays) and the movement stuff, you know, we didn’t really see that last year – we were more like sitting in the pocket,’’ Schneider said. “And he came in late (Howell was acquired in March). It wasn’t a good setup for him.’’
Talks with Jones have been ‘positive’
Maybe the most urgent matter for the Seahawks is securing the future of middle linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who can become an unrestricted agent on March 12.
Jones said following the final game of the season against the Rams that he wanted to stay in Seattle and expected things to work out.
He didn’t deny a report from the NFL Network that his agents anticipated him hitting the open market to gauge his value.
Schneider said Jones’ agents had been “buzzing me about an hour ago. … We’ve had positive talks with his group ever since we traded for him and we’ll continue that this week.”
Jones was acquired via trade with Tennessee in October and immediately helped solidify the Seahawks’ wavering defense, taking over the MLB spot and defensive play-calling duties.Jones is rated the 50th best overall free agent via Pro Football Focus, which estimates he’ll get a three-year deal worth $36 million overall with $22.5 million guaranteed. Jones made a base salary of $1.9 million last season.
Schneider can’t anticipate if Lockett will be back
It has been widely anticipated that veteran receiver Tyler Lockett will not be back with the team in 2025. Along with turning 33 in September, he has a hefty contract and the team can save $17 million against the salary cap if he is released.
The Seahawks could rework that deal to bring down the almost $31 million total cap hit, though that’s not likely.
Schneider said he will meet with Lockett’s agent this week while calling Lockett “just one of my all-time favorite players.”
Asked if Schneider anticipated Lockett being with the team in 2025 Schneider said “do I anticipate it? I don’t know. I don’t know. We’ll see how the conversation goes, but yeah, I’m not sure.”
Peters moves to role as veteran mentor
As part of the renovation of the offensive coaching staff, Schneider said Peters is moving from the playing field into a new role with the official title of Veteran Mentor.
Peters won’t be an on-field coach but will work alongside vice president of player affairs Maurice Kelly.
“He’s helped the young guys for several years since he’s been here,” Schneider said. “You could see him like pull guys aside at practice, working with guys.”
Left tackle Charles Cross, entering his fourth season in 2025, said he feels Peters has helped him the last few seasons.
Peters, a nine-time Pro Bowl pick in a career that dates to 2004, spent much of the past two seasons on the practice squad after signing early in the 2023 season as a replacement when Cross and Abraham Lucas were hurt in the first game, starting two games that year at the age of 41.Peters did not see action last season but spent much of the year on the roster.
Updates on Metcalf, Nwosu, Cross
Schneider briefly addressed questions regarding Cross, receiver DK Metcalf and rush end Uchenna Nwosu:
• Asked whether the team will extend Cross – who is eligible for one as he enters the final year of his rookie contract – Schneider said, “We’ll be meeting with his guys here.” The team has until May 1 to exercise a fifth-year option on Cross’ contract for the 2026 season that would pay him an estimated $18.9 million. The Seahawks have never used a fifth-year option, but Schneider said it could be considered with Cross, in part as a tactic to buy time to work out an extension later.
• Asked a question of “where things stand” with Metcalf, who has been the subject of media speculation about his future but with nothing of substance from the team that they are considering trading him, Schneider replied: “Where things stand? I’m not sure. He’s on our team. He’s a big, strong, fast, physical receiver.”
• Schneider confirmed that the team recently moved back a deadline in Nwosu’s contract that would have guaranteed him $6 million of his $14.8 million base salary for 2025 if he was on the roster as of Feb. 14. Schneider called it “part of a negotiation” with Nwosu. The team appears to be trying to work out a new deal with Nwosu to ease a $21.1 million cap hit for 2025.