ESPN asks the question about Geno Smith all 12s want to know

Geno Smith has been a good starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks for two seasons. The argument that he has not been productive simply cannot hold water. He led the league in completion percentage and the NFC in touchdown passes in 2022, and last year he led the NFL in game-winning drives and fourth-quarterback comebacks. Bad quarterbacks do not do that.

But there is a logical argument to be made for how long Smith should be the starter in Seattle. Had Seattle re-signed Drew Lock this offseason, Smith's long-term job might have been safer. The Seahawks let Lock walk, though, and traded for 23-year-old Sam Howell who has a full year of starting experience and is 10 years younger than Smith.

There is likely not going to be a quarterback battle for Seattle this offseason, but the coaching staff is completely new offensively so 12s (and Smith himself) cannot assume that Howell is going to definitely be the backup this season. If he comes into training camp, throws with velocity and accuracy, and outperforms Smith, the coaching staff could just go with the quarterback they see as giving them the best chance to win, not the one who has been with the team the longest.

Is Geno Smith the long-term answer at quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks?

ESPN's Dan Graziano asks a fair question about Smith in a recent article: "Is Geno Smith the long-term starter in Seattle?" Graziano weighs both sides of the debate including that Smith has had the 11th-best total QBR in the NFL since he has been the Seahawks' starter. The ESPN analyst even suggests that Smith could sign a long-term extension next offseason should he have another very productive season in 2024.

There are drawbacks to keeping Smith around for several more years, however. He will turn 35 years old during the 2025 season. (He and Howell are both currently signed through 2025.) If Smith is the long-term answer then Seattle might also see diminishing returns at the end of any extension because of Smith's age.

The Seahawks also have no real cap room in 2025 and players are going to need to be released or traded to make space. Releasing Smith and replacing him with Howell - or a 2025 NFL draft pick - would save Seattle $25 million.

The answer will likely be easy after this coming season, however. Either Smith will have had another Pro Bowl season and moving on from him makes no sense, or he has underperformed, and releasing him would make too much sense financially. Smith controls his own destiny either way.

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