Geno Smith's future payday hinges on Seahawks' 2024 season

RENTON, Wash. -- Over the summer, Geno Smith's agent called Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider in the hopes of discussing a new contract. The conversation didn't go anywhere, but it was nonetheless another notable moment in the quarterback's strange offseason.

It began with Smith twisting in the wind, as Schneider and new coach Mike Macdonald were initially reluctant to publicly commit to him as the starter.

It continued with Smith tearing up training camp, making it clear that he -- not trade acquisition Sam Howell -- was the team's best option at quarterback.

And it culminated with Smith feeling unhappy about his contract, having seen several quarterbacks cash in this offseason with massive new deals.

"That's just normal business," he said earlier this week, confirming his desire for an extension. "Nothing wrong with that."

Smith enters his third season as Seattle's full-time starter in an unusual limbo. On one hand, the organization hasn't seemed sold he's their franchise quarterback, suggesting that more uneven play in 2024 could compel Schneider and Macdonald to move on.

At the same time, Smith has arguably never looked better, and his play over the summer makes it possible to imagine the kind of strong season that would put him in position for a new deal that would make him one of the NFL's highly paid quarterbacks.

"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 that they've seen him. ... I think he's had the best camp that I've seen him have."

Sunday's season opener against the Denver Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET; CBS) doesn't just mark the beginning of the Macdonald era and the unveiling of Seattle's new schemes on both sides of the ball. It's also the start of Smith's quest to prove he's the Seahawks' long-term answer at quarterback and secure the payday that would come with it.

"I think he still has that mindset of that dawg mentality," Lockett said. "'I've got to go out there and grind. I've got to go out there and get it.'"

THE THREE-YEAR, $75 million contract Smith signed in March 2023 capped a remarkable career resurgence from long-time backup to Pro Bowl selection and AP Comeback Player of the Year. But it didn't offer him much in the way of long-term security, with no fully guaranteed money beyond 2023.

"It's still year by year," Smith said two months after signing the deal. "I've got to look at it like that."

Smith's footing became more tenuous after his up-and-down season in 2023 and the firing of coach Pete Carroll -- perhaps his biggest supporter in the organization -- on the heels of a second straight 9-8 finish. Schneider, who assumed final say over personnel matters in the Seahawks' post-Carroll power structure, gave what sounded like a half-hearted endorsement of Smith when the GM said at the NFL combine that "he's our starter until he's not."

It wasn't until the Seahawks traded for Howell in March that Schneider gave a firm public commitment to Smith as the Seahawks' starter. Even then, the belief in the organization was that Howell, 23, had the potential to become Seattle's starter if Smith, who turns 34 next month, were to falter.

Since then, the gap between them has been obvious, particularly when it comes to their timing in the pocket and the accuracy that has been Smith's calling card. He also has demonstrated a strong command of new coordinator Ryan Grubb's offense and all the pre-snap responsibilities that come with it.

"What hasn't he been good at in camp is the question," cornerback Devon Witherspoon said. "He's been able to pick us apart. ... He's doing everything an NFL quarterback should do, but the way he's doing it this year is different, especially with this offense."

Smith's only hiccup this summer came when he sat out four practices to undergo several tests for minor knee and hip injuries. He sat out the first two preseason games then played the opening series of the third, completing 4 of 5 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.

"I thought Geno looked amazing in all the practices in everything," Schneider said. "... Sam's done a great job, coming in, learning a new offense. You've got to remember, this is like learning a whole new language for these guys. It's ... the hardest job in football, period."

Macdonald has challenged Smith to "take the next step as a leader." In 2022, Carroll described Smith as a "hothead," because of his temperamental nature, and a "fierce competitor," whose temper occasionally flares when things go awry. This season, Macdonald wants him to be the "voice of poise" in the heat of the moment.

"He's a great competitor, so detailed, works tremendously hard," Macdonald said. "It's not easy to learn a new scheme, no matter how many years you've been in the league, how many schemes you've been in. ... Geno's doing a great job. He's picked up the offense."

How much faith does he have in Smith?

"A tremendous amount of faith," Macdonald said. "The whole thing revolves around the QB. He's our quarterback, and we're excited that he is. ... He's right there, leading the charge."

DESPITE EVERYTHING THAT Smith has on the line, 2024 isn't necessarily a make-or-break-season. He's signed through 2025, meaning the Seahawks could hypothetically put off any decision on his future next offseason, have him play out the final year of his deal and then reassess the situation.

But given that Smith has already sought a new deal, how compelled might he be to force the issue in that scenario?

Consider all the other quarterbacks who have been paid this offseason. Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love both reset the market with $55-million-per-year extensions that more than double the $25 million average of Smith's contract. Tua Tagovailoa ($53.1 million), Jared Goff ($53 million), Kirk Cousins ($45 million) and Baker Mayfield ($33.33 million) have also cashed in with new deals over the last six months.

According to OverTheCap.com, Smith has fallen to 20th in terms of average per year (APY), with a gap of more than $8 million separating him and Mayfield at No. 19. Among starting quarterbacks who aren't still on rookie deals, only Gardner Minshew, Sam Darnold, Jacoby Brissett and Russell Wilson are making less, though Wilson is getting paid nearly $38 million by the Broncos this season as part of his release.

Smith ranks 11th in QBR (61.6) during 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 it," Smith said last month when asked about the recent megadeals for other quarterbacks. "We all see it. I'm really happy for those guys. I think whatever they get, they deserve. So, you pay attention to it, but you try to stay focused on what you have to stay focused on, which is my job here with the Seahawks."

The Seahawks have a long-standing policy of not renegotiating contracts in players' favor while they have more than one season left. So, while Smith's agent did reach out to Schneider about an extension, it was a nonstarter for Seattle. As of now, Smith is set to make $25 million next season, though that figure could increase by up to $15 million via escalators.

HEADING INTO THIS season, Smith still has a strong collection of targets headlined 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 Smith now has what he didn't have last season: a competent defense to back him up, a consistent running game to help take pressure off and -- most importantly -- an offensive line that can keep him upright.

They signed George Fant, Laken Tomlinson and Connor Williams after struggling badly up front in 2023 because of injuries and a lack of difference-makers. Fant, who will fill in at right tackle until Abraham Lucas is ready, is a clear upgrade over the backups Seattle turned to last year. So is Williams at center. Left tackle Charles Cross, a training camp standout, looks like a breakout candidate.