It's pretty obvious why the Seattle Seahawks need to let Geno Smith walk
The Seahawks have a great shot to build a competitive roster that lasts another decade, but Smith can’t be a part of it
Of all the wild things to go down in 2022, Geno Smith leading the Seattle Seahawks to a playoff berth was easily one of the year's most unexpected developments.
Overall, it was a successful year for the team, despite the one-and-done appearance in the postseason. The on-field production is plenty of reason for optimism moving forward, but the 2022 draft class, as well as the development of several key veterans, have given the franchise and its fans the biggest reason for a promising outlook.
It's easy to see how the core of this team is shaping up and the aforementioned rookies are a big part of said core.
And, it's the next batch of upcoming first-year players that should have the Seahawks looking to move on from Smith.
We'll get to that in just a second, but first, more context is needed: Smith is a free agent and per Spotrac, his market value is a deal worth a little over $39 million per year.
Sure, the quarterback market is a rich one, but that is a lot of money for a guy who is coming off the one -and only- good season of his nine-year career.
The Seahawks also have a good amount of cap room – close to $24.5 million, per Over The Cap. So, money really isn't a factor when it comes to re-signing Smith.
But it still needs to factor in. Especially when considering the fact the Seahawks are in prime position to draft one of the top rookie QBs in the draft.
Seattle is currently sitting pretty with two first-rounders and one of those is what would've been the Denver Broncos' fifth overall pick. The Seahawks also added another second-rounder in the trade, which ended up as the 37th overall pick once the season ended.
It's that No. 5 overall pick that obviously holds the key, however. That's because there are four really good QB prospects in Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis, and Florida's Anthony Richardson.
And the best part is two of the top-5 teams in the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals don't need quarterbacks. Even with all the silly nonsense you've recently heard about a potential Justin Fields trade.
Basic math says that puts the Seahawks in line to nab one of the top QBs. They're also in good shape to trade up in case they are worried about the Las Vegas Raiders, Carolina Panthers, and/or the Atlanta Falcons jumping them to nab a signal-caller of their own.
Taking a rookie QB over Smith makes so much more sense and is a much better process. In this scenario, not only do the Seahawks avoid the risk of Smith reverting back to his old ways on a expensive contract, but they get a top QB prospect on a cheap contract.
And I'm sure it's not hard to remember what happened the last time the 'Hawks hit on a rookie QB with a cheap contract.
Speaking of Wilson, the Seahawks also have a much better shot of landing a starting/Pro Bowl caliber QB in the first five picks of the draft as opposed to the 75th overall pick. Let's be honest: Wilson's career is more the exception than the rule. Teams typically don't find a QB of his caliber in the third round of the draft.
It makes too much sense and the Seahawks are in too good a spot to choose re-signing Smith over drafting a rookie quarterback.
Just look at the first three quarterbacks -and the first three draft picks- from the 2021 NFL Draft and their respective cap hits:
| Quarterback | 2021 cap hit | 2022 cap hit | 2023 cap hit | 2024 cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Trevor Lawrence (1st) | $6,689,725 | $8,362,156 | $10,034,588 | $11,707,019 |
Zach Wilson (2nd) | $6,391,033 | $7,988,791 | $9,586,549 | $11,184,307 |
Trey Lance (3rd) | $6,200,959 | $7,751,199 | $9,301,439 | $10,851,678 |
Spotrac.com
Drafting a rookie QB allows the Seahawks to keep a promising player on a cheap contract, which then allows them to build out their roster in other areas. The team needs help at center, EDGE, WR3, and other areas. It also has its own free agents to re-sign.
A rookie quarterback contract maximizes the Seahawks' chances of making all of that happen. Sure, the Seahawks could sign Smith to a multi-year deal that has a very small cap hit upfront, but the contract will certainly balloon like crazy as soon as Year 2. Seattle wouldn't have the consistent longevity of manageable years that a rookie contract provides.
In all, it's easy to see why the 'Hawks need to let Smith walk and test the market. He was great in 2022 and helped the post-Wilson era get off to a great start.
But as with most parts of life, all good things must come to an end.
Featured image via Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
