The Seattle Seahawks have a decision to make at quarterback this offseason. Geno Smith has been the Seahawks starter for the last three seasons, highlighted by a playoff appearance in 2023. However, Smith’s contract is up, but Seattle has made it clear they want Smith back as their starting quarterback.
Seattle Seahawks Want To Extend Geno Smith
All signs are indicating that the Seahawks want to re-sign Geno Smith. Both general manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald have both made this clear. Smith is coming off of a good season in which he threw for 4,320 yards with a 70.4 completion percentage. However, his TD-INT ratio was a measly 21-15. There were many good moments and many bad moments for Geno Smith and the Seahawks this past season. Is an extension the best course of action for Seattle at quarterback?
Benefits of an extension
The Seattle Seahawks have a reliable quarterback in Geno Smith. For the most part, he will deliver accurate and on time throws. Smith developed an elite connection with star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba this past season. Smith-Njigba recorded 1,130 yards on 100 receptions in his second season. If the Seahawks let Geno Smith walk, that connection goes away. The quarterback market is pretty dry this year with Sam Darnold headlining a weak free agency class. Seattle has a mid-first-round pick with number 18. With this pick, there are essentially zero quarterback options for the franchise through the draft. Re-signing Geno Smith seems to make the most sense for the Seahawks. This gives the offense the opportunity to build on their success last season. Mike Macdonald wants to extend Smith and keep him around for years, which is a good sign for the quarterback’s future in Seattle.
Drawbacks of re-signing Smith
Although Smith has been solid for Seattle, there are frequently questions about the teams ceiling with him at quarterback. In three seasons as the starter, Geno Smith has taken the Seahawks to the playoffs one time, where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round. Smith is also aging, as he turns 35 in October. If the Seahawks are not contending and Smith is aging, an extension may not make the most sense for both sides.
What lies ahead
Although there are positives and negatives to the Seahawks re-signing Smith, the team wants him back. Smith has produced two seasons of 4,000+ passing yards for Seattle in three seasons. With their late first-round pick, the Seahawks believe that re-signing Smith is their best course of action. Geno Smith will likely command north of $30-35 million dollars per season as the quarterback market continues to get more expensive. Matthew Stafford is seeking $50 million per year. The Seahawks should offer a 2-3 year extension to Smith. This would allow Smith to try to bring the Seahawks a Super Bowl while also allowing the franchise to seek for their future signal-caller after Smith. The Seahawks will likely have to improve the rest of their roster to reach Super Bowl contention. However, there is no reason to believe they can’t win the NFC West as Geno Smith has already led the franchise to the playoffs.
Main Image: Daniel Bartel – USA Today Sports
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