Hovering in largely unexplored territory on the quarterback salary spectrum, Geno Smith pursued a Seahawks extension this offseason. While the team adjusted the third-year starter’s deal, that came merely via a restructure. A more notable adjustment appears out of reach for the time being.
The Seahawks do not sound especially interested in extending a quarterback who has two years remaining on his current contract. GM John Schneider said (via The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar) it would be inaccurate to indicate the team talked extension terms with its current QB1 this offseason.
Smith is believed to have sought an an extension this offseason, but the Seahawks have him tied to what is now an incredibly team-friendly deal. After the Russell Wilson successor played another season for backup money (one year, $3.5MM) during his Comeback Player of the Year season, the Seahawks rewarded him with a three-year, $75MM extension. Although the contract represented a substantial raise at the time, a number of deals involving comparable quarterbacks have dwarfed where the Seahawks went for a player they had carried as a backup.
For both AAV and guarantees, this came in well south of where the Saints went for Derek Carr and Giants ventured for Daniel Jones during the 2023 offseason. Baker Mayfield‘s three-year, $100MM deal also created distance between the Buccaneers QB and Smith, whose $25MM average salary is on its own tier among starters — between the franchise-level arms and the Gardner Minshew/Sam Darnold level. Smith is the NFL’s 20th-highest-paid passer, but no one else is between Minshew’s $12.5MM AAV and Mayfield’s $33.3MM number.
Schneider’s comment on this matter pushes back on the previous report that indicated Smith’s camp did discuss a new deal with the team. At no point, however, has it appeared a new deal was imminent. Smith’s $25MM-per-year pact runs through the 2025 season, and the Seahawks have flexibility via no guarantees remaining on the accord beyond this year. New HC Mike Macdonald proclaimed Smith his starter early this offseason, and by remaining on Seattle’s roster in mid-February, the 12th-year veteran locked in $12.7MM guaranteed.
The Seahawks also restructured Smith’s contract, creating cap space and making it slightly more difficult to move on in 2025. Though, with no guarantees in the mix for next year, the team would only need to navigate $13.5MM in dead money were it to move on next year. This gives the team a season to evaluate Smith in Ryan Grubb‘s offense.
From Smith’s perspective, he is running short on time to capitalize on his newfound starter status. The former Jets second-rounder-turned-journeyman will turn 34 in October. The Seahawks passed on adding an heir apparent in 2023 or 2024, but this new coaching staff certainly could have such a move on the radar. Extending a player Pete Carroll brought in when two years remain on the deal does not seem a priority.
For now, the Seahawks have only Smith and trade acquisition Sam Howell in their quarterback room. The team added P.J. Walker this offseason but released the veteran backup earlier this week. Schneider did not rule out bringing Walker back, via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, as it sounds like the team does plan on adding a de facto third-stringer at some point soon.
