ESPN says Seahawks should do this bold move that seems completely unnecessary
Seattle needs another player than to do this.
By Lee Vowell
On Thursday, the Seattle Seahawks reportedly re-worked quarterback Geno Smith's contract a slight bit. His $9.6 million roster bonus for 2024 was rolled into a signing bonus and this gave $4.8 million in cap space. If we needed even more signs that Smith is going to be QB1 for Seattle next season then this would be one.
Smith could still be traded if the team wanted to add some draft capital. Because of the re-work to his deal, any team that traded for Smith would only have to pay him a little over $12 million in 2024. Seattle might then get a second-round pick back, plus maybe a later-round choice, too. $12 million is not much to pay for a quality veteran quarterback in the NFL.
That last part is key when it comes to why ESPN's bold pick for the Seahawks offseason is so unnecessary. Smith has been a good quarterback for Seattle for the last two seasons. He led the NFL in completion percentage in 2022 as well as leading the NFC in touchdown passes. In 2023, he led the league in game-winning drives. Smith might not be Patrick Mahomes, but he is a lot better than other quarterbacks.
Seattle Seahawks should not take a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft
Seattle also has bigger positions of need than to take a quarterback with their first-round selection in the 2024 NFL draft. The team has greater needs along the interior of the offensive line, the overall defensive line, at linebacker, and tight end. Still, in a recent article, ESPN's Aaron Schatz believes Seattle's bold move this offseason would be to take a quarterback in the first round.
Moreover, Schatz thinks the Seahawks could trade back in the first round in order to pick up more draft picks (which would be great) but that the team would still choose a quarterback, specifically someone such as Washington's Michael Penix, Jr. Whether Seattle sticks at pick number 16 or falls back to number 25, for instance, the team still should not take a quarterback because Geno Smith is the least of the team's concerns.
Wherever Seattle makes its first choice in the 2024 draft, they need to get a player at a position of need. The linebacker and tight end rooms are almost completely empty and the Seahawks do not have much cap room in order to sign high-quality free agents. Taking a quarterback does not make the team better and certainly would not help defensive-minded head coach Mike Macdonald in his first season with the team.
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