The Seahawks are one of the league’s biggest surprises in 2022, as they sit at 6-3 and atop the NFC West standings despite entering the season with all the trappings of a rebuilding outfit. The biggest reason for Seattle’s success, of course, is quarterback Geno Smith, and according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the ‘Hawks are expected to offer Smith a long-term contract after the season (video link).
Last month, we heard that Smith’s play through the first five games of the regular season was changing the narrative that he is nothing more than a bridge option for a club that had been expected to select a signal-caller in the first round of the 2023 draft. Obviously, five games is a small sample size, and Seattle was sporting a 2-3 record at the time. Since then, the team has rattled off four straight wins, and although Smith is no longer the league leader in quarterback rating, his sterling 107.2 mark is third in the NFL behind Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow.
Nine games still qualifies as a small sample size, which is presumably why the Seahawks want to hold off on contract talks until after the season is over. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times hears that “many expect” the team to hit Smith with the franchise tag or transition tag before free agency officially opens in March, because even if he finishes the campaign as strong as he has started it, it will still be difficult to value a 32-year-old breakout passer who just became a full-time starter for the first time since 2014.
Smith has declined to talk about his contract status, saying that those issues will be resolved in due time. He doubtlessly wants the security of a multi-year accord, but the franchise tag (~$31.4MM) or transition tag (~$28MM) would still represent a massive windfall for the West Virginia product, who has earned just over $11MM in his career to date. Plus, the Seahawks — who are presently projected to have $53MM of cap space in 2023 — could absorb the cap hit of a tag, which would also buy them time to see what options the draft holds. Regardless of what happens during the draft at the end of April, Seattle would have until sometime in July to agree to a long-term deal with Smith if the parties are still interested in such an arrangement.
According to Rapoport, the Seahawks are also interested in re-signing backup quarterback Drew Lock, who came to the team in this year’s Russell Wilson trade and who competed with Smith for the starting QB gig over the spring and summer. Lock’s performance as a 21-game starter in Denver was less than impressive, and barring injury to Smith, he will enter free agency without any positive momentum. Nonetheless, he and Smith enjoy a strong relationship, and if there are nothing more than backup opportunities available on the open market, he may be amenable to a return to Seattle.
He’s quieted many years of doubters and he’s earned it. Good for him.
This is a good example of the risks of a team throwing a rookie QB into a starting role vs giving them a few years of grooming.
The learning curve is just too high for most of these guys.
Shame DEN extended DangeRuss. Would have hilarious to see DEN cut him and outbid SEA for Geno to yet again replace him…
Edit: that was supposed to be a response to RCT below…
Always love to hear stories about people being rewarded for persevering. So happy for Geno! He deserves it!
I’ve certainly been one of his doubters, but he’s clearly kept his head down, done the work and took advantage when an opportunity presented itself.
Good for him.
Good lesson for others.
Great story, I hope the man does get paid.
Legion of Dumb
Thanks for your input we highly could care less how ignorant you are. I imagine you are a Forty Whiner. Please return to the message board if you have any comment that would contribute to the board. You can say all you want how you hate Seattle just try to add something above a 3rd grade level. You sir are not smarter than a 5th grader.
Good for him, but it would be incredibly dumb for Seattle to give him any kind of lengthy deal. He’s been good so far this year, but it is only ten games against a tomato can schedule (Chargers and Giants are the only teams they’ve played above .500). He’s been horrible thus far in his career, might want to pump the brakes before backing up the Brinks truck on the strength of ten games against mostly bad teams.
Geno should probably win Comeback Player of the Year award and the NFL is certainly in dire need of a few “feel good” stories right now.
Does anyone else think play has not been good this year. It seems that there are so many bad games this year. Maybe it is the white elephant in the room and this noble thing called parity. If this is parity give me back teams from previous years. Is there a team you would bet a sizable amount of money on? Of the top teams they just aren’t stable.
I totally agree. There’s been a few good games, but mostly stale and uneventful. Also, it seems like most of the great games were between bottom dwellers. The ‘big’ games have been duds.