Seahawks' Mike Macdonald, Ryan Grubb Hinting Toward Continuity at QB: 'Fired Up!'
Moments before Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb took the podium for his introductory press conference on Thursday, news broke providing a bit of clarity about the franchise's situation at quarterback.
As reported by ESPN insider Adam Schefter and confirmed through multiple sources, the Seahawks informed two-time Pro Bowl signal caller Geno Smith that he would be on the roster through this week. This means that his $12.7 million base salary for the 2024 season will now be fully guaranteed regardless of where he plays next season, increasing the odds he will return as the starter for a third straight year.
Interestingly, the same could also be said for veteran backup Drew Lock, whose name has been brought up unprompted both by head coach Mike Macdonald and Grubb in the past week as if they expect him to be back in the mix as well.
When asked specifically about the opportunity to coach Smith, while he hasn't been able to talk to either player about scheme yet during a dead period, Grubb made sure to reference both quarterbacks, indicating he has spoken with each of them since accepting the coordinator position last weekend with the goal of getting to know them as people.
Building a friendship over the past two seasons, Drew Lock and Geno Smith could once again be teammates as Seattle's two primary quarterbacks in 2024 with a new coaching staff.
"He's great. He's a competitor, he wants to be coached, he wants to be the best," Grubb said. "It means a lot to him and just hearing his story, his growth as a person and a player is inspiring. I'm really fired up and looking forward to coaching him and Drew both. They're both wonderful guys and wonderful competitors."
Acknowledging that he offered Lock tips as a new parent in their recent conversation, Grubb's comments came only three days after Macdonald told Mike Salk and Brock Huard on Seattle Sports 710 that Smith and Lock were the only two players he had an opportunity to chat with so far due to his busy schedule building his first coaching staff. While it could easily be a smokescreen, such insight suggest the Seahawks envision both players being on the roster next season.
In the case of Smith, as pointed out by Schefter, Seattle could still trade him before March 18 with the acquiring team picking up his now-guaranteed base salary, opening up $13.8 million in cap savings. If he's still on the roster at that point, the team will be on the hook for a $9.6 million roster bonus, making any move after that point unlikely.
Since taking over for Russell Wilson in 2022, Smith ranks sixth in the NFL in passing yards (7,906), sixth in touchdowns (50), and fourth in completion percentage (67.4 percent) out of 32 qualified quarterbacks. During that span, he also has orchestrated the most game-winning drives, tying Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and Bills quarterback Josh Allen with eight of them over the past two seasons, including a league-best five game-winning drives in 2023.
Having coached against Smith as the Ravens defensive coordinator last season, Macdonald has made communication with the quarterback a priority during his hectic schedule, hinting at a coach/quarterback partnership next season.
"I talked to Geno briefly after our game and told him how much I respected him, not anticipating I'd see him in six months or three months or however long it's been," Macdonald said in his introductory press conference. "But yeah, really just excited to meet the rest of the guys, especially the QBs, and get to know them and kind of see what makes them tick so we can start to build the system around them."
Though a trade shouldn't be completely ruled out if the right team inquires with interest, Smith looks to be a big part of Seattle's plans at least in the short term. Currently the 12th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL for 2024, he provides quality value at the most important position in the sport and his strengths as a passer should play well in Grubb's scheme, which bolstered Michael Penix Jr. to a Heisman finalist at Washington last season.
"I think he's got good presence. I've been impressed with his decision making," Grubb said, citing Smith's league-best 69.8 percent completion rate in 2022. "I think that says a lot in this league when you talk about how hard those decisions are and how tight the windows are, so to be productive at that level and be the best in the league at it, I think says a lot. ... It shows he's got the ability to be accurate and make good decisions. Ultimately you need a guy who can lead, be smart, tough, dependable, and make good decisions and I think Geno is more than capable of doing that."
While excited to work with Smith, the 27-year old Lock also has many of the traits Grubb looks for when evaluating quarterbacks and showcased those skills in limited action for the Seahawks filling in for an injured Smith last December, including improved accuracy compared to earlier in his career with the Broncos.
Thrust into action against two of the best teams in the NFC in the 49ers and the Eagles, Lock completed north of 68 percent of his passes for 477 yards and three touchdowns, including a game-winning score on a perfect deep ball to rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba to stun Philadelphia on Monday Night Football. Playing in four games total after not seeing any snaps in 2022, he posted solid numbers with 543 passing yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Scheduled to be a free agent on March 13, Lock could generate more interest from other teams this offseason than he did a year ago due to his quality play as a spot starter last season. But at the same time, if an opportunity to compete for a starting job isn't available anywhere else and he doesn't get blown away by a contract offer to be a backup elsewhere, it would be smart for both sides to link back up for another season.
With the offseason now in full swing and free agency less than a month away, more clarity should come to light on how Seattle intends to move forward at quarterback. If Smith remains on the roster by March 18 as most expect, he will undoubtedly be on the roster in 2024 as the clear-cut starter, while Lock will be assessing the market gauging interest from other teams before making a decision on his future.
Regardless of whether one or both return, the Seahawks will also still have the option to draft a quarterback in April if they wish to, potentially as early as 16th overall in the first round. As things stand, Macdonald and Grubb look to be preparing to build their offense and system around the incumbents, however, clearly bullish on the quarterback room they inherited for next season and potentially beyond.
