Geno Smith’s incredible redemption story has finally come full circle.
After years as a journeyman backup, the 2022 Pro Bowler and Comeback Player of the Year now has a firm commitment from the Seattle Seahawks. One of the league’s foremost poster boys for “bust” (probably more so because he played for the Jets) is a comfortable starter.
For now.
The full terms of Smith’s new deal paint the picture of the Seahawks liking the 32-year-old veteran, but they still want to keep their options open. Because, you know, Smith is already nearing his mid-30s.
And as someone simply nearing their 30s alone, honestly: I get it. Your body just flat-out hurts and aches sometimes … for no reason. Why would it be potentially different for a professional athlete who gets hit by linebackers and defensive linemen?
Let’s review and grade the ins and outs of Smith’s new deal with the Seahawks.
The details
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo:
Length/term: Three years, $75 million
Total guaranteed money: $40 million ($28 million first year, $30 million in incentives)
The Seahawks' perspective
If this contract for Smith looks familiar, if it had a name on the tip of your tongue, I’ll fill in the blanks for you: The Seahawks essentially gave Smith the infamous “Blake Bortles” contract.
Years ago, when the Jacksonville Jaguars weren’t sure if they wanted Bortles around for a good while, they gave the former first-rounder a three-year, $54 million deal. It had just $26.5 million guaranteed and was otherwise laden with incentives. Jacksonville’s instincts proved correct, as Bortles struggled during the 2018 season and would be released the following spring.
Smith’s situation is different (he’s a far better signal-caller), but the Seahawks’ terms paint the picture of a potential easy out.
If Smith continues to ball as he did in 2022 (over 4,000 yards, 30 TD passes, a 7.5-yard-per-pass-attempt average), then rebuilding Seattle can continue to lean on him. If Smith falls off for any reason, not only do the Seahawks have a “life raft,” they can seamlessly transition to a passer they’d potentially take in the top five of this year’s draft.
This is what we call giving yourself multiple doors to walk through.
No matter what happens, the Seahawks have one of the NFL’s more capable quarterbacks. And he can hold it down while a younger prospect develops to take over eventually. I don’t think Smith will experience a drop in play, so it’s far more likely Seattle will take someone raw while he stewards the rest of the team.
Pete Carroll is once again playing chess, not checkers, in a Seahawks rebuild. (Sorry, Russell Wilson.)
Grade: A
Geno Smith's perspective
Geno Smith has been around the block. He knows the business in the NFL. He knows that the league acronym often stands for “Not. For. Long.”
And I’m willing to bet this boon of positivity doesn’t care. He’s been through far too much adversity as a professional QB to be upset about the Seahawks giving themselves a landing pad to a younger player.
Does he want to make Seattle’s future decisions hard? Yes.
Does he want to keep a prospective young QB on the bench for as long as possible? Absolutely.
But you’re not going to convince me someone who made just over $17.5 million in a decade will be up in their feelings about getting $28 million in just a year. It’s ludicrous even to think otherwise:
Geno Smith’s career earnings through 10 seasons: $17.55M
Geno Smith’s *annual* value on his new contract: $35M
What a journey. So incredibly well-deserved.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 6, 2023
Smith had a winding journey full of zig-zags to get to this stage. He’s shown he can be a reliable top-end starter. Whatever comes next — in this case, a lot of money from the Seahawks — is delicious gravy.
Grade: A
