The Seattle Seahawks couldn't have realistically expected anything better from the Geno Smith experience. Since the team decided to move on from Russell Wilson two years ago, Smith beat Drew Lock for the starting job and has consolidated himself as an above average starting quarterback.

In the last two years, he had 79.8 and 82.9 PFF grades, against 66.2 and 77.5 grades from Wilson with the Denver Broncos. It's been, unquestionably but surprisingly, an upgrade at quarterback. But that doesn't necessarily mean the team is closed about another potential change.

Right now, Geno Smith is the starter. Right now.

"Yeah, I mean, I would think yes — he's the starter," Seahawks president of football operations John Schneider said during his media availability at the Combine. "Until he's not."

The last part is at least intriguing. You don't usually hear general managers and top executives openly talking about their quarterbacks this way if they see them as long-term options.

At the moment, the Seahawks don't have a clear replacement alternative — free agency isn't a viable path to upgrade. But with the 16th overall pick and two selections in the third round, Seattle potentially has the ammunition to grab a younger passer.

Contract and what does it mean

Last offseason, the Seahawks gave Geno Smith a glorified bridge QB contract. It was a three-year, $75 million deal. This season, the team restructured the contract, opening up some cap space — and increasing the 2025 cap hit. This, though, was more of a procedural move.

"Honestly, other people made a bigger deal out of that than we did in the building," Schneider added. "It was like 'Is he going to be here, is he not going to be here?' It was not. He was going to be here. It was a matter of, when are we going to tell him we are doing this with his roster bonus?"

It bears mention that the Seahawks didn't execute a max restructure. It opened up some cap room, but not nearly as much as they could have made. The idea is to have more future flexibility. Geno Smith will generate a $26.4 million cap hit this year. For 2025, the projected cap hit is $38.5 million, but if the team decides to trade or release him, the dead money will be a manageable $13.5 million hit.

Future

It makes sense for the Seahawks to explore other quarterback avenues because Geno Smith is not a young player anymore. Even though he's had a unique path in the NFL, he's been in the league since 2013 — and Smith is 33 years old.

Geno Smith has been with the Seahawks since 2019. First, he arrived as Wilson's backup, signing a sequence of short-term deals. In 2022, right after the Seahawks traded Wilson to the Broncos, Smith was a free agent and signed a one-year, $7 million deal.

A strong first season as a starter allowed him to sign a mid-term extension, giving him financial security, but leaving the Seahawks with cap flexibility as well.

Geno was a second-round pick by the New York Jets in 2013, but he had had only two seasons as a starter before his opportunity in Seattle. He also had stints with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers.

Seahawks make it clear they’re sticking with Geno Smith for 2024

He’ll be back for another year.