Analysis: What Geno Smith's Return Means For Seahawks Quarterback Plans
Solidifying their quarterback room with a much-anticipated move, the Seahawks officially brought back Geno Smith on Thursday, re-signing the veteran signal caller to a one-year deal before the start of the team's offseason program.
According to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, Smith's new deal will have a base salary between $3.5 and 4 million, nearly triple his $1.12 million salary from last season. With incentives, the former West Virginia standout could earn up to $7 million, though full details have yet to be disclosed.
What does Smith's return for a fourth season mean for Seattle's plans at quarterback in 2022? And will his presence deter the team from making any additional moves at the position?
While he may not be the one under center in Week 1 in September, as evidenced by his substantial pay raise, Smith will be rejoining the Seahawks with a real opportunity to win the starting job left vacant by the departure of Russell Wilson, who was dealt to the Broncos last month. By signing him now, they ensured he would be with the team for the start of their offseason workouts to begin competing against Drew Lock and Jacob Eason.
Since trading Wilson, as reiterated by coach Pete Carroll numerous times over the past month, re-signing Smith has been a top priority for the organization. In fact, his knowledge of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's offense coupled with his previous starting experience and stellar performance filling for Wilson last year could give him an early advantage in the competition.
Starting three games and appearing in four games total spelling Wilson, Smith completed 68 percent of his pass attempts for 701 yards while throwing five touchdowns and only one interception. Though Seattle only won one of his three starts, both losses came by fewer than three points against playoff-caliber Pittsburgh and New Orleans squads. The latter defeat came in inclement weather.
In his lone win as a starter, Smith played what Carroll called "almost a perfect game" of football for the Seahawks, completing 20 out of 24 passes and throwing three touchdowns against the lowly Jaguars. Upon Wilson's return from injury, the offense actually took a step back in three consecutive losses that doomed their playoff chances.
At the NFL owner meetings last month, with the two sides continuing to negotiate, Carroll made a public plea to Smith to sign his contract. Commending him for his performance and leadership in an adverse situation with Wilson sidelined, he indicated the veteran would start the offseason program ahead of Lock and Eason on the depth chart.
"He’s a really tough, competitive kid, which we love. And the mentality," Carroll told reporters. "The players love him and he gets along with everybody, so if it all gets set up the way like it should happen it’s going to be a very competitive opportunity."
For the most part, Smith played the role of a "point guard" how Carroll desires at the quarterback position in his four-game audition last fall. While he lost a crucial fumble in an overtime loss to the Steelers and took too many sacks, he did a good job taking care of the football and interestingly, receiver DK Metcalf had two of his three top receiving performances in games where Smith took extensive snaps.
Clearly, the Seahawks feel comfortable with the prospect of Smith potentially winning the job and if he earns it, $7 million will feel like a bargain for a starting quarterback. At the same time, comments from Carroll and general manager John Schneider suggest Lock will be given every chance to win the job as well and there are reasons to believe he could be the favorite in the long run.
Only 25 years old, Lock performed well in spurts during his first three NFL seasons coming out of Missouri, but consistency evaded him in 24 games with the Broncos. After winning four out of five starts to close out his rookie season, he led the NFL in interceptions in 2020 and then lost his starting job to Teddy Bridgewater during the preseason last August, putting his future in limbo.
Given his youth and obvious physical tools, however, including what Schneider coined a "hose" for a throwing arm and underrated athleticism, Lock could be a prime candidate to rebound with a change of scenery playing in an offense similar to the one he thrived in during his rookie season. His rapport with tight end Noah Fant, who also came as part of the Wilson deal, will undoubtedly help his cause as well.
With Seattle expected to lean heavily on running back Rashaad Penny and the ground game, Smith and Lock won't be asked to replicate Wilson's production. Instead, Carroll will demand whoever wins the starting job to execute their offense, limit turnovers, move the chains efficiently to sustain drives, and connect on an occasional shot play downfield.
Based on what the team has done so far this offseason, the Seahawks may believe both are capable of doing that. Or they may be simply offering lip service while waiting to make another big move.
As Carroll insinuated two weeks ago, Smith's return and Lock's arrival shouldn't keep Seattle out of the quarterback business. At some point, Cleveland will part ways with Baker Mayfield, the former No. 1 overall pick out of Oklahoma. If he's eventually released, he could be on the radar as another viable alternative to compete for the starting job against the other two veterans.
Most notably, if Schneider falls in love with an incoming quarterback prospect from a draft class that has received lukewarm evaluations from most analysts, he could select one as early as pick No. 9 in this month's draft. With two early second-round selections, a number of options could be on the table to add a rookie signal caller, including Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, who met with the team on Wednesday.
Regardless, the Seahawks have put themselves in a position where, at worst, they will have two experienced, affordable bridge quarterback options in Smith and Lock battling against one another to replace Wilson in training camp. In ideal circumstances, an upstart rookie or another proven veteran such as Mayfield will be added to the fold over the next few weeks to further bolster the competition as they aim to stay in the hunt in the NFC West next season and beyond.
