Getty The Seahawks could give Geno Smith a major contract.
The Seattle Seahawks could sign a star to a big-time deal.
As mentioned by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, quarterback Geno Smith could sign a three-year, $90 million deal — with $40 million guaranteed — with the Seahawks. That contract proposal would be “middle ground” for both sides where it “makes sense.”
Smith will be a free agent this offseason and he’s expected to command a big deal based upon his 2022 Pro Bowl campaign.
“He likely would want a more significant guarantee on a multiyear pact, while the Seahawks would want cap flexibility and security in the process,” said Barnwell. “There’s a middle ground that makes sense: maybe something like a three-year, $90-million pact where Smith takes home $40 million guaranteed and the Seahawks have the flexibility to get out of the deal after year one if he declines.”
Smith’s Market Value is Nearly $40 Million Per Season
The 32-year-old quarterback turned in a sensational breakthrough campaign in his first year as Seahawks starter. The veteran quarterback threw for 30 touchdowns versus 11 interceptions for 4,282 passing yards for a 100.9 quarterback rating and 69.8 completion percentage. His 69.8 completion percentage paced the NFL and broke a single-season franchise record.
According to Spotrac, Smith’s market value is $39.3 million per year, which would make him the second-highest paid quarterback in the league.
There’s no question that Smith was one of the league’s best quarterbacks during the 2022 season. The question is, can he sustain that level of performance moving forward?
The Seahawks overachieved during the 2022 season, clinching a playoff berth after entering the season with very low expectations. Smith’s play was the biggest reason for that surprise playoff appearance.
With that being said, there may be a potential ceiling with Smith at quarterback. He did play well in the team’s playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers prior to a fumble in the third quarter that changed the momentum of the game. Smith eventually ended the game with two total touchdowns against one interception and one fumble lost for a solid quarterback rating of 98.9.
But those aforementioned turnovers do play a major role in the difference between an elite quarterback and a very good one.
Likely Scenario Sees Seahawks Giving Geno Smith Franchise Tag
A very likely possibility is the Seahawks simply giving Smith the franchise tag if the two sides can’t come to an agreement. Barnwell proposes this possibility if talks break down between Seattle and Smith.
“Smith’s next deal starts around the baseline of $32.5 million, the projected franchise tag value for 2023,” said Barnwell. “If the two sides can’t get together on a new deal, the Seahawks would likely use that tag to keep him. He likely would want a more significant guarantee on a multiyear pact, while the Seahawks would want cap flexibility and security in the process.”
Following the Seahawks’ loss to the 49ers, Smith did stress his desire to end his career with Seattle.
“I want to finish my career in Seattle,” Smith told reporters following the Seahawks’ playoff loss on January 14. “I want to be here. The town, the city, the team, coach [Pete] Carroll, the organization, they all embraced me. I was a guy who probably could’ve been out of the league. They embraced me. And I want to repay them for that.”
We’ll see if both sides can work out an agreement, but Smith’s preference is obviously a long-term deal. If the Seahawks aren’t sold on Smith as a long-term solution, they’ll give him the franchise tag to likely serve as a bridge quarterback in 2023.