Data should give Seahawks fans new appreciation for Geno Smith

Geno Smith is a somewhat of a divisive player among Seattle Seahawks fans, and on some level, it makes sense.

Is the 34-year-old Smith ever going to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league? No. Is he the problem in Seattle? That depends on who's asked. However, raw data could provide a more objective answer.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith against the Los Angeles Rams — Jan 5, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) scrambles away from Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young (0) and throws for a touchdown in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

A social media account known as Doug Analytics put together a chart showing every starting quarterback's EPA (expected points added) per play both inside and outside the pocket this season. Smith finished slightly above average in both categories, but it's important to add some context.

Considering last season Geno Smith played behind one of the three worst offensive lines while attempting to execute an offense devised by an OC who'd never coached in the NFL, the #Seahawks QB was consistently solid. per @Doug_Analytics pic.twitter.com/2KpNbBwExU
— Setting The Edge (@SettingTheEdge) February 19, 2025

It's been beaten to death at this point, but Seattle's offensive line was simply dreadful this season. Smith was under duress constantly as he took 50 sacks, the third-most in the league. While he might deserve blame for some of those, it would be hard for any quarterback to succeed with such poor protection.

Additionally, now-former Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb didn't do Smith many favors. The first-year coordinator drastically underutilized the run game throughout the season, and thus put arguably too much on Smith and the passing game.

Yes, Smith had some very strong receivers to work with in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. When they were the only pieces of of the offense that played well for most of the season, it's hard to say his supporting cast bailed him out too much.

Again, Smith is far from being one of the league's elite quarterbacks. He's near the end of his career and has clear limitations in his game, which is why he was a backup for many years.

With how little support Smith had around him, though, it's understandable why the Seahawks feel confident in giving him another chance next season.

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