To Geno, or Not to Geno? That is the Seattle Seahawks Question
The biggest question the Seattle Seahawks have this NFL offseason is if they are going to commit to Geno Smith for 2023 or look elsewhere.
Gino Smith Has Surpassed All Expectations
If I had told you that 32-year-old Geno Smith would break multiple Seattle Seahawks franchise records in his first year as a starter, you would probably have laughed. That is exactly what happened this year with Geno breaking four different all-time franchise records this year (2022). He now owns the most passing yards in a season with 4,282, the most pass completions in a single season with 399, the highest completion percentage in a single season at 69.8%, and the most pass attempts in a single season with 572.
Geno Smith Had the Highest NFL Completion Percentage in 2022
Not only did Geno Smith break Seattle Seahawks franchise records, but he finished with the NFL's highest completion percentage this season with his franchise-best 69.8%. He also was elected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career since joining the league in 2013. He was also the only starter in the NFL to take every snap for his team this season. I thought it was obvious from Geno's play on the field to the reactions about him from other players and coaches on the team, that Geno was a leader in the locker room. All that being said, should the Seattle Seahawks sign newly free-agent Geno Smith to a new contract?
Is It Genover in Seattle for Geno?
Thinking about this question hurts my head and my heart at the same time. I am a season ticket holder and was personally at every game this season in Seattle. Geno showed great leadership and poise all season long. He did have a tendency to turn the ball over near the end of the season but both the team and the fans obviously love him. Is all that enough to keep him in Seattle for the kind of money he is going to most likely want in his next contract?
Geno Smith's Last Post-Game Interview
Before the end of the season, when Geno was asked about being a free agent and staying in Seattle, he clearly said he would not be giving a team-friendly deal. After the loss to the 49ers, his tone drastically changed. Geno Smith says in that interview "I wanna finish my career in Seattle. I wanna be here, the town, the city, the team, coach Carroll, the organization, they all embraced me. I was a guy who probably could have been out of the League, but they embraced me and I want to repay them for that." Watch the entire interview from the Seahawks YouTube account by clicking here.
Geno Smith Clarifies How He Wants to Repay the Seahawks
A reporter asks Geno to clarify how he wants to repay the franchise and Geno makes it clear he wants to stay. He goes on to say "They embraced me, at a time when not many people were. I feel like that means a lot to me, I got a lot of loyalty in me, and I want to repay those guys for doing that." Does "repay" mean a team-friendly deal so the Seahawks can invest in the tools they need for a championship? Only time will tell.
The Biggest Concerns About Signing Geno Smith
You have to admit that Geno Smith played great as the starter for the Seahawks in his first season. For me, the problem is not how Geno Played this year, even though he did have his faults at the end of the season. I worry about how long a tall 32-year-old (33 next season) quarterback can last in a division with the best pass rushers in the NFL. Tall quarterbacks fall further, old quarterbacks seem to fall harder, and Geno Smith is both of those things. Before his last interview, I thought money was also going to be a big problem keeping Geno with the Seahawks. In a small group of veteran QBs, he will be one of the most sought-after if the Seahawks do not sign him first.
Should the Seattle Seahawks Focus on the Future
Geno Smith is a good quarterback but should the Seahawks use their draft capital and focus on the future instead? Most teams still alive in the NFL playoffs this year are led by a player taken in the first round. Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, Herbert, and Jones are all first-round quarterbacks. The 49ers are not playing with a first-round quarterback, but are loaded with first-round talent like Aiyuk, Bosa, and McCaffrey to name a few.
What Will the Seattle Seahawks Decide?
Can the Seattle Seahawks win a second Superbowl championship with Geno, or should the Seahawks try their luck with the 2 first-round picks they have in this year's NFL Draft? That is the question all Seahawks fans will wait for John and Pete to answer this offseason. I am honestly not sure what I would do if I had to choose. This all depends on how and if Geno plans to "repay" the team that gave him a shot.
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