Seattle Seahawks news: Geno Smith still taking it "year by year"

The Seattle Seahawks are in the part of May where the team is holding voluntary organized team activities (OTAs). As an undisputed leader of an offense for the first time in nearly a decade, Geno Smith is definitely going to be one of the players reporters want to interview. And what he had to say following Monday's OTA was pretty interesting.

The great thing about Geno Smith is that he has always felt like one of "us." The us part being fans and those who aren't top-level players. It should be noted that even when Smith got his chance to be the starter last season, he still sounded like one of us. The now-famous "I ain't write back" quote from Smith followed Seattle's Week 1 against former starting QB Russell Wilson and his new team, the Denver Broncos. But unlike a decade of what felt like rehearsed quips from Russell Wilson, Smith's response felt refreshing and felt like one of us would say.

So when Geno Smith talks now, it is meaningful because the words are coming from the Seahawks' starting quarterback but maybe more personal because Smith is more personable than Wilson ever could be. I bring this up because on Monday, Smith said he still has a mindset of approaching each season "year-by-year." Sure, he signed a three-year extension this offseason, but Smith knows as well as anyone how quickly a starting gig in the NFL can disappear.

Geno Smith speaks at Seattle Seahawks OTAs on Monday

Smith staying hungry is important for player and team. He was great for most of 2022, but he needs to prove he can be very good again in 2023 and he understands this. While Seattle has built up talent across the roster, the team still will likely succeed or fail based on how effectively Smith plays. For Smith to be self-aware enough to knows he needs to approach this season the same way he did 2022 and prove his doubters wrong is extremely important.

Also worthy of note is what Smith said of oft-injured third-year receiver Dee Eskridge. The Seahawks chose Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round in the 2023 NFL draft and that pushes Eskridge further down the rotation. It seems like Seattle can't count on Eskridge, a former second-round choice because he has been injured so much but also non-productive when he has been on the field. But according to Smith, Eskridge is "getting ready to do many things. I know things have started slow for him but doesn’t matter...He is a physical specimen. He’s got everything it takes. He’s studying his butt off. I’ve been with him every single day and we are watching extra film and he looks to be really taking that next step."