Seahawks GM Details Derailed Extension Talks That Led to Geno Smith Trade

The quarterback was traded to the Raiders last week.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith warms up for a game. / Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders last week, and it sounds like the decision to trade him was influenced by the two sides not being able to agree on a new deal for the quarterback.

The Seahawks offered Smith a new deal, general manager John Schneider said on Thursday. However, the deal reportedly didn't reach $45 million a year as Smith wanted, The Athletic's Vic Tafur reported, so he shot it down. At that point, Schneider admitted “there was no back and forth coming” between the Seahawks and Smith, so they decided to trade him to the Raiders.

“It wasn’t a very long negotiation,” Schneider said. “So, as a staff we had to be prepared to pivot.”

Seattle's "pivot" was to send Smith to Las Vegas and sign Sam Darnold, who's coming off a big season with the Minnesota Vikings. He was signed to a three-year, $100.5 million deal with $55 million guaranteed. That puts Darnold's annual salary to around $33.5 million. Smith's new contract is still being discussed in Las Vegas.

Schneider also used the term "pivot" when talking about the Seahawks trading DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Metcalf had requested a trade, unlike Smith, so it sort of felt like a lost cause for Schneider to try to keep the receiver in Seattle.

Smith's five-year tenure with the Seahawks came to an end, though, with the failed negotiations.

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