Seahawks QB Geno Smith stays in Seattle after agreeing to a three-year, $105million contract before Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline
The Seattle Seahawks are bringing back quarterback Geno Smith on a three-year contract worth $105million, several outlets reported on Monday, just a day before the league’s deadline for using the franchise tag.
The 32-year-old was set to hit unrestricted free agency after the first Pro Bowl season of his nine-year NFL career. Instead, he will remain in Seattle and average $35million per year. The deal will include $52million in the first year, ESPN reported.
Smith was named last season’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year after taking charge of the Seahawks’ offense in the first year following the Russell Wilson era and guiding them to a wild-card playoff berth with a 9-8 overall record.
After serving as Wilson’s backup from 2019-21, Smith beat out Drew Lock for the job in the preseason and proceeded to start all 17 games, his first year as a full-time starter since his first two NFL campaigns with the New York Jets.
The veteran led the NFL in completion percentage at 69.8 percent (399 passes) and passed for career highs of 4,282 yards (also a franchise record) and 30 touchdowns along with 11 interceptions. He added 366 rushing yards and one score.
Geno Smith signed a new, 3-year deal with Seattle after becoming the Seahawks’ starting QB
The Seahawks were clear about wanting to re-sign Smith, but Seattle coach Pete Carroll also said during the scouting combine in Indianapolis that the Seahawks are ‘totally connected’ to the quarterbacks in the 2023 draft class.
The team has the fifth pick in the draft and five selections in the top 83.
Carroll said keeping Smith and drafting a quarterback is a definite possibility.
‘We have our guy, we need to, hopefully, work things out so he is with us. There is business to be done there of course, but there is no lid on what we can do. The sky is the limit,’ Seattle coach Pete Carroll said following the Seahawks’ season-ending loss to the San Francisco 49ers, 23-41.
‘That along with returning him with his leadership factor that he had, he’s a big deal to us. I just couldn’t be more tickled by the way the whole thing turned out and how he handled it.’
‘Really, as we look to the future, he is a big part of why we are looking to the future so promisingly.’
In 10 NFL seasons with the Jets (2013-16), New York Giants (2017), L.A. Chargers (2018) and Seahawks, Smith has thrown for 11,199 yards, 64 touchdowns and 48 interceptions with a 62.8 completion percentage.
He has added 1,067 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
More to follow…