The Seattle Seahawks guaranteed Geno Smith's base salary of $12.7 million for 2024 last week and Smith could get another $9.6 million on March 17 as a roster bonus. Both of these things could happen and Seattle could still trade Smith if the team wanted. Quality veteran starting quarterbacks making a bit over $22 million before bonuses are rare in the NFL. Some teams would want Smith.
But why would Seattle want to trade him? Doing so at this point, or even after March 17, would not save the team a ton of money. $13,800,000, in fact. Sure, that's good enough to bring in a quality defensive player but not good enough to re-sign Leonard Williams, for instance. What Smith could bring back is decent draft capital.
I don't mean a first-round choice, either. Teams are unlikely to give up that much for a quarterback about to be in his mid-30s. Smith has been pretty good in the last two years but not that good. The ultimate reason for moving Smith would be to make room for a rookie quarterback who head coach Mike Macdonald might want to start his Seattle coaching career. If Seattle does move Smith, here are four potential landing spots.
Potential Seattle Seahawks and Geno Smith trade destination No. 1 - Pittsburgh Steelers
Projected 2024 cap space (top 51): $-12,260,901
Projected 2025 cap space: $129,116,848
Highest 2024 NFL draft picks: First round, pick 20; second round, pick 51; third round, pick 84
The Steelers stay good enough to make the playoffs most years and have a winning record every season since the earth began to cool. Recently, the Steelers have had players such as Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph behind center and have been able to be efficient enough to stay scary. Geno Smith would make them a better team capable of possibly winning a couple of games once in the postseason.
There were rumors that possibly long-term head coach Mike Tomlin could be let go after this season. That would seem a dumb move considering all of Tomlin's success, but that may also mean there is a priority on winning at a higher level in 2024. Bringing in a veteran quarterback like Smith would make sense. And yes, Pittsburgh would need to create cap space to make the trade, but they could restructure several contracts to make room.
Seattle should be able to recoup at least Pittsburgh's second-round pick plus another later-round choice. At least then Seattle would get the second-round selection back they lost in the trade that brought Leonard Williams to Seattle in the middle of the 2023 season. Getting more draft picks and depth is only going to help Mike Macdonald move forward.
Potential Geno Smith trade destination No. 2 - Las Vegas Raiders
Projected 2024 cap space (top 51): $42,576,342
Projected 2025 cap space: $122,272,622
Highest 2024 NFL draft picks: First round, pick 13; second round, pick 42; third round, pick 73
Las Vegas' quarterback situation is a bit of a mess and has only gotten worse this offseason after Jimmy Garoppolo was suspended for two games to begin next season for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy. Jimmy G had already lost his starting gig with the team, it seems, and was replaced by Aidan O’Connell. O'Connell looks to be a quality backup instead of a long-term starter.
Las Vegas has more than enough cap room to add Smith and they also have a decently high second-round choice that John Schneider and Macdonald might like. Plus, the Raiders are not afraid to make a move for a player as they did when they added receiver Davante Adams in 2022. Adams probably has not been happy since quarterback Derek Carr was let go, but adding someone like Smith might help the situation.
The Raiders might not be ready to battle the Kansas City Chiefs for first place in the AFC West but they were better than their record implied this past season. If they had not hired Joshy Boy McDaniels as their head coach, they likely would have had a winning record. With Smith leading the offense next season, Las Vegas would have a very good chance of making the playoffs.
Potential Geno Smith trade destination No. 3 - Atlanta Falcons
Projected 2024 cap space (top 51): $29,887,153
Projected 2025 cap space: $163,671,152
Highest 2024 NFL draft picks: First round, pick 8; second round, pick 43; third rounds, picks 74 and 79
The Falcons should make a clear attempt to add a quality quarterback this offseason. They do not have a QB currently on their roster who will certainly be QB1 in 2024 or beyond. Plus, Atlanta has a number of offensive weapons that were ill-used this past season and only need a good quarterback to greatly enhance their skills and make the offense good enough for the team to have a good chance of winning the NFC South as soon as next year.
After all, Atlanta somehow managed to go 7-10 and finished only two games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons have weapons such as tight end Kyle Pitts, running back Bijan Robinson, and wide receiver Drake London and all are young enough to form a very productive core of the offense for years. They just need a quarterback who knows how to use them best. Smith would do that.
In return for Smith, Seattle should ask for Atlanta's high second-round choice and one of the third-round picks. This would give the Seahawks five selections in the first three rounds. The picks would not be as high as the last two years, but Seattle needs quantity at this point to go along with the team/s NO. 16 pick in the first round.
Potential Geno Smith trade destination No. 4 - Minnesota Vikings
Projected 2024 cap space (top 51): $28,068,007
Projected 2025 cap space: $147,629,202
Highest 2024 NFL draft picks: First round, pick 11; second round, pick 42; fourth round, pick 109
This one gets a little tricky because what the Vikings try to do with free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins is going to help make decisions for Minnesota, Atlanta, and other teams. Cousins is a good quarterback who has faltered at times in the postseason. He is also a couple of years older than Smith and Cousins is coming off of an Achilles tear he suffered midway through 2023. He should be back to play by Week 1 of next season but will he be fully healthy and able to move around as well?
Cousins is likely to be a lot more expensive than Smith would be as well. At most, Smith would cost the Vikings close to $20 million. Cousins will probably make at least $35 million in 2024. Is Cousins $15 million better than Geno Smith? No. Minnesota can create the cap room for either quarterback (and already has enough for Smith), but adding Smith means the Vikings will have enough left over to sign other quality free agents.
Minnesota could decide to choose a quarterback at pick 11 in the first round. That still would not rule out an acquisition of Smith. Geno Smith could be QB1 in 2024 and let whoever the Vikings take in the 2024 NFL draft learn for a year. Smith's contract is structured so if Minnesota did release Smith after 2024 the Vikings would not lose much. Seattle would need to get Minnesota's second-round choice, however.