3 free agent quarterbacks that could help Seahawks replace Russell Wilson

Alex Smith

I want to throw out a few things here before I get into why Alex Smith to Seattle would be a good thing. First, Geno Smith deserves the chance to start whatever games Russell Wilson misses. He knows Waldron’s system and looked good against the Rams.

Second, I don’t have Cam Newton on this list. I don’t think Newton would come back just to be a short-time starter (maybe) and his sometimes eccentricities might not fit in the Seattle locker room.

And thirdly, I don’t have Colin Kaepernick on this list either even though that would be great. Kaepernick hasn’t played since 2016 and Seattle doesn’t have time for him to acclimate himself back to the NFL.

All that said, Alex Smith would be a great fit for Seattle. Smith is a winner. The last time he quarterbacked a team that had a losing season was 2010. His career mark as a starter is 99-67-1. And he doesn’t turn the ball over. Take away his first two years in the NFL (2005 and 2006) and his career interception rate falls to 1.8 percent per pass attempt, the same as Russell Wilson’s.

Smith obviously had a horrific leg injury but he overcame that to play again. The only reason he retired is that no team showed real interest in having a 37-year-old quarterback be their starter. But this is a special circumstance. Smith is a smart player, runs an offense without turning the ball over and, despite his leg injury, can still move around in the pocket pretty well.