Geno Smith’s future paycheck depends on the Seahawks’ 2024 season

RENTON, Wash. — Over the summer, Geno Smith’s agent called Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider to discuss a new contract. The conversation went nowhere, but it was still another notable moment in the quarterback’s strange offseason.

It started with Smith being left in the dark as Schneider and new coach Mike Macdonald were initially hesitant to publicly acknowledge him as a starter.

It continued when Smith shook up training camp and made it clear that he – and not transfer Sam Howell – was the team’s best option at quarterback.

And it culminated in Smith being unhappy with his contract after watching several quarterbacks cash in on huge new contracts in the offseason.

“This is just normal business,” he said earlier this week, confirming his desire for an extension. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Smith enters his third season as Seattle’s full-time starter in an unusual limbo. On one hand, the organization doesn’t seem convinced he’s their franchise quarterback, suggesting a more uneven matchup in 2024 could force Schneider and Macdonald to move on.

At the same time, Smith has arguably never looked better, and his play this summer suggests he could have a strong enough season to earn a chance at a new contract that would make him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.

“He’s been phenomenal,” said wide receiver Tyler Lockett, a teammate of Smith’s since 2019. “I think a lot of people have said this is probably the best camp they’ve ever seen from him. … I think he had the best camp I’ve ever seen from him.”

Sunday’s season opener against the Denver Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET; CBS) not only marks the beginning of the Macdonald era and the unveiling of Seattle’s new strategies on both sides of the ball. It’s also the start of Smith’s quest to prove he’s the long-term solution to the Seahawks’ quarterback position and secure the payday that comes with it.

“I think he still has that attitude, that buddy mentality,” Lockett said. “‘I’ve got to go out there and fight it out. I’ve got to go out there and get it.'”

THE THREE-YEAR-OLDThe $75 million contract Smith signed in March 2023 capped a remarkable career turnaround from longtime backup to Pro Bowl player and AP Comeback Player of the Year. But it didn’t offer him much long-term security, as he didn’t receive a fully guaranteed salary beyond 2023.

“It still varies from year to year,” Smith said two months after signing the contract. “That’s how I have to look at it.”

Smith’s position became more uncertain after his up-and-down season in 2023 and the firing of coach Pete Carroll – perhaps his biggest supporter in the organization – after a second consecutive 9-8 finish. Schneider, who had the final say on personnel issues in the Seahawks’ power structure after Carroll, offered a half-hearted recommendation for Smith when the GM said at the NFL Combine that “he’s our starter until he’s not.”

It wasn’t until the Seahawks signed Howell in March that Schneider publicly made a firm commitment to Smith as the Seahawks’ starter. Even then, the organization believed that the 23-year-old Howell had the potential to become Seattle’s starter if Smith, who turns 34 next month, faltered.

Since then, the difference between them has been obvious, especially in their timing in the pocket and the accuracy that is Smith’s trademark. He has also shown a strong command of new coordinator Ryan Grubb’s offense and all the pre-snap tasks that come with it.

“The question is what he didn’t do well in camp,” cornerback Devon Witherspoon said. “He managed to pick us apart. … He does everything an NFL quarterback should do, but the way he’s doing it this year is different, especially with this offense.”

Smith’s only blip this summer was having to miss four practices to undergo multiple tests for minor knee and hip injuries. He sat out the first two preseason games and then played the opening series of the third, completing 4 of 5 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.

“I thought Geno looked great in every way in all the practices,” Schneider said. “… Sam did a great job coming in and learning a new offense. You have to remember, for these guys, it’s like learning a whole new language. It’s … the toughest job in football, period.”

Macdonald called on Smith to “take the next step as a leader.” In 2022, Carroll described Smith as a “hothead” due to his temperamental nature and a “fierce competitor” whose temper occasionally flares when things go wrong. This season, Macdonald wants him to be the “voice of calm” in the heat of the moment.

“He’s a great competitor, very detail-oriented and works incredibly hard,” Macdonald said. “It’s not easy to learn a new scheme, no matter how many years you’ve been in the league and how many schemes you’ve tried. … Geno does a great job. He understands the offense.”

How much trust does he have in Smith?

“A tremendous amount of trust,” Macdonald said. “The whole thing revolves around the quarterback. He’s our quarterback and we’re excited that he is. … He’s right there leading the offense.”

DESPITE EVERYTHING Smith has 2024 on the line, and it’s not necessarily a crucial season. He’s under contract through 2025, meaning the Seahawks could hypothetically delay any decision on his future next offseason, let him play out the final year of his contract, and then reevaluate the situation.

But how much pressure could Smith be under to get his deal done in this scenario, given that he has already sought a new contract?

Just think of all the other quarterbacks who got paid this offseason. Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love redefined the market with contract extensions of $55 million per year, which is more than double Smith’s average of $25 million. Tua Tagovailoa ($53.1 million), Jared Goff ($53 million), Kirk Cousins ​​($45 million) and Baker Mayfield ($33.33 million) also cashed in on new contracts in the last six months.

According to OverTheCap.com, Smith has dropped to 20th in terms of average annual performance (APY), with a gap of more than $8 million separating him from Mayfield at 19th. Among starting quarterbacks no longer under rookie contracts, only Gardner Minshew, Sam Darnold, Jacoby Brissett and Russell Wilson earn less, although Wilson is receiving nearly $38 million from the Broncos as part of his release this season.

Smith ranks 11th in QBR (61.6) in his two seasons as a full-time starter, well ahead of Lawrence (18th, 56.5), Cousins ​​(19th, 56.2) and Mayfield (27th, 44.1).

“It’s hard not to see that,” Smith said last month when asked about recent megadeals for other quarterbacks. “We all see that. I’m really happy for those guys. I think whatever they get, they deserve it. So you pay attention to that, but you try to focus on what you need to focus on, and that’s my job here with the Seahawks.”

The Seahawks have long had a policy of not renegotiating contracts in favor of players when there is more than one season left. Although Smith’s agent contacted Schneider about an extension, it was a no-go for Seattle. Smith is currently scheduled to make $25 million next season, although that amount could rise by as much as $15 million through raises.

ON THE WAY TO THIS Season, Smith still has a strong collection of targets, led by receivers DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Lockett, as well as tight end Noah Fant and running back Kenneth Walker III.

The Seahawks hope that Smith now has what he lacked last season: a competent defense to back him up, a consistent running game to relieve pressure and – most importantly – an offensive line that supports him.

They signed George Fant, Laken Tomlinson and Connor Williams after struggling in 2023 due to injuries and a lack of key players on offense. Fant, who will fill in at right tackle until Abraham Lucas is ready, is a clear improvement over the backups Seattle used last year. That goes for Williams at center, too. Left tackle Charles Cross, a training camp standout, appears to be a breakout candidate.

But how quickly can a line with three new starters come together? Can Williams — who recovered from a torn ACL in December and only arrived midway through training camp — get back up to speed and return to his pre-injury form? Can the 32-year-old Fant stay healthy? Can right guard Anthony Bradford take a step forward after his mediocre rookie season?

Smith needs to significantly improve his offensive line than he did a year ago. That will be one of the biggest factors in whether his strong summer carries over into the regular season and gets him out of quarterback limbo.

“Geno was there in camp,” Witherspoon said. “He was definitely at his best. This year, it’s just going to be like, who knows? Who knows what he’s capable of. I don’t want to say the sky’s the limit, because I don’t want to put any limits on it. We’re all watching and waiting, just like everyone else.”