Getty Geno Smith will be the Seahawks backup quarterback, while Anthony Gordon was released.
Russell Wilson’s spot as the Seattle Seahawks quarterback is safe for the foreseeable future, but there has been a healthy competition in training camp for the backup position. Geno Smith will become the rare player to backup Wilson for the second straight season as the Seahawks have a history of cycling through second-string quarterbacks.
There was some thought that Washington State standout Anthony Gordon would challenge Smith, but all indications are the former Cougars quarterback did not have a strong camp. The rookie faced an uphill battle with no on-field workouts this offseason combined with the lack of preseason games.
Gordon along with Danny Etling were both released as the team narrowed down the final roster. The Seahawks later re-signed Etling to be the team’s third quarterback, but he will start the season on the practice squad. Seattle opted not to bring Gordon back.
The backup quarterback is of particular importance this season with the ongoing pandemic. Every team is at more of a risk of losing key players for weeks at a time making quarterback depth a point of emphasis for all franchises. If the Seahawks were to lose Wilson for an extended period of time, it would drastically alter their season.
The Seahawks Quarterbacks Will Not Meet in the Same Room This Season
Wilson has been particularly fortunate during his NFL career not to be sidelined for any length of time. The Seahawks quarterback has been able to play through injuries on the few occasions where he was at risk of missing numerous games. Seattle is taking extra precautions this season to avoid Wilson, Smith and Etling from being exposed to unnecessary risk.
“This year, this practice squad’s gonna be important, because you may have to use a bunch of those guys in games during the season,” Carroll explained to NBC Sports’ Peter King. “Heaven forbid you get a position group smoked. That could happen. If you lose a position group, you lose ‘em for 10 to 13 days. What if you lose both quarterbacks? But we got a plan for that. They’re not gonna be in the same meeting room.”
Carroll Praised Smith’s Play After a Recent Training Camp Scrimmage
With no preseason games, the Seahawks opted to hold two scrimmages at CenturyLink Field to prepare for Week 1. Carroll praised Smith’s play after the first mock game.
“Geno did a nice job,” Carroll told Sports Illustrated after the game. “That was a really nice series going down the field the first series, he hit everything and looked great. He was real comfortable, felt really confident in the communications and handling the situations going against the first defense, so he did a nice job. It’s great to see.”
With the heightened health risks, Smith is valuable for more than his ability to correctly pick a coin toss. Gordon’s struggles likely prompted the Seahawks to sign Etling during training camp. After the Seahawks released Etling, the former Falcons quarterback passed through waivers unclaimed allowing Seattle to re-sign him to the practice squad.
The bigger question surrounding the Seahawks is how much the team will expand the offense to give Wilson more control. After months of waiting, we are about to find out.
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