Geno Smith must hear the noise surrounding the Seattle Seahawks and selecting a quarterback early in the NFL Draft. 

On Monday, he penned an open letter in The Players' Tribune, where he thanked Seattle for the fans that came out to support him every Sunday and promised to lift the Seahawks to "new heights" in 2023. 

"This contract for me is a happy moment, not a happy ending," Smith wrote. "For me, it’s the start. That’s just who I am. That’s the drive I have. You tell me I’m the backup? I’m going to prepare like I’m the franchise guy. You tell me Russ got traded, and now it’s an open competition? I’m going to be like, 'Not for long.' You tell me Denver has the best D in the league? I’m going to march it down the field, first drive of Week 1, and get six. You tell me it’s a rebuild? I’m going to start thinking playoffs. You tell me I made the Pro Bowl? I’m going to try to make 10 Pro Bowls. You tell me we had a 'nice' season? I’m going to follow it up with a great season. That’s just always my mentality with things — I’m always trying to get better."

Seattle, to Smith, gave him something he never had anywhere else: an organization that believed in him. He rewarded the Seahawks with his play. 

And the Seahawks awarded him with a three-year contract. 

"I think that the job that John and his guys have done to carry this thing from those moments that led to the decision to make the trade and all of that and then all the way through has just been a masterful job," Pete Carroll said in early March.

"You can't not recognize that. As all of the fruits are still out there, we are here heading into the draft with free agency leading into it. It has just given us such an opening to the opportunity we're so grateful for all of the years, Johnny that we've worked together and stuff, but this is really a high moment for us and we're all having fun with it. We're all having a blast. We can't wait for this thing to happen and the scenarios and all this stuff and all that."

So amidst the quarterback rumors churning out of Seattle, Smith is remaining ten-toes down. He knows that the Seahawks believe in him, and that is enough — regardless of whether Seattle selects a young quarterback early in the NFL Draft. 

"Giving this community something to be proud of is where my focus is going to be for as long as I’m in Seattle," Smith said.

Whatever happens next, there will always be love for Smith in Seattle.