Getty The Seahawks could offer Geno Smith a $78 million contract.
A Seattle Seahawks star is projected to land a big payday this offseason.
According to Spotrac, Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith is projected to land a two-year, $78.6 million deal as a free agent this offseason. That would pay Smith an average annual value of $39.3 million per season, making the veteran quarterback the ninth-highest paid player at his position in the league.
Smith is coming off of a sensational season, having led the Seahawks to a surprising playoff appearance after clinching his first Pro Bowl berth. After battling and winning the starting quarterback job over Drew Lock in training camp, Smith turned in one of the best seasons of any signal-caller in 2022.
The 32-year-old quarterback led the league in completion percentage, ranked fourth in passing touchdowns and fifth in passer rating. Based upon his performance alone this season, it’s hard to argue that he’s not worth $39 million per season.
In fact, according to OverTheCap’s contract valuation, Smith’s performance this season is worth $37.1 million per year.
Why Smith’s Value is a Major Question Mark
When it comes to assessing Smith’s value, one has to factor in Smith just turned in the first productive single season of his career. The 10-year veteran hadn’t served as a full-time starter since the 2014 season with the New York Jets. During his two seasons as starter for the Jets back in 2013 and 2014, Smith went 11-18 as a starter. He finished his four-season tenure with New York with final totals of 28 touchdowns versus 36 interceptions for a 57.9 percent completion rate and 72.4 passer rating.
The lack of prior success is sure to affect Smith’s value entering free agency, especially when one factors in that Tom Brady, Lamar Jackson and Jimmy Garoppolo will be available. Furthermore, three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr will likely be available via trade.
After leading the Seahawks to a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18, Smith addressed his upcoming free agency.
“…..I’m focused on foootball right now. But the thing is, it’s a business,” said Smith. “Football is a business. A lot of people have a lot of decisions to make, and that’s where I’ll leave it at. I feel great about where I stand with this organization and my teammates and everybody else, but it’s always a business first. So I look at it like that. I understand that, and I’ve got to handle my business as well.”
Analyst Projects Smith’s Value at $29 Million Per Season
While Spotrac projects Smith’s value to be over $39 million per season, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports predicts a much lower value. In fact, the CBS Sports analyst predicts that Smith will sign a similar two-year deal with the Seahawks. However, it’ll be for a total of $58 million, making his annual cap hit at $29 million.
“The former Jets flop and longtime backup was surprisingly far more efficient and explosive than his star predecessor, Russell Wilson, in 2022,” says Benjamin. “Pressured to deliver down the stretch for a team with a porous defense, his forced throws have increased, rendering him more good than great. He’s also 32 with only one full season of passable production under his belt. Still, for Seattle, which may well prioritize defensive reinforcements and has now witnessed him grow in the system for four years, he’s a logical short-term investment.”
There’s little doubt the Seahawks will make re-signing Smith their biggest offseason priority. But the amount they’ll offer him is a major question mark considering his alck of