You can’t escape the Geno Smith debate. It’s constant within the fanbase and media — and for good reason. Quarterback is the most talked about position in the NFL and until the Seahawks have an unquestioned franchise caliber signal caller, it’ll be the hottest topic in town.
I am, though, surprised by the nature of the discussion. There’s almost a level of disbelief at the thought that Smith might not be with the Seahawks next season. It goes a step further when people use language like ‘anti-Geno’ and ‘Geno haters’. Maybe there is an army of Seahawks fans on the rampage, taking any opportunity to slander the quarterback. I’ve seen no real evidence of it though. It makes you wonder whether being ‘anti-Geno’ or a ‘hater’ simply amounts to not rating him as highly as others, or being open to the possibility that he isn’t for long on the roster?
I think people are letting their own personal sentiments on Geno’s worth cloud their view on what could actually happen in the coming weeks. Here’s the situation as I see it. If you think it’s unreasonable, say so in the comments section.
— Geno Smith has shown himself to be a viable NFL starting quarterback, which wasn’t the conventional wisdom two years ago. His PFF grade has been in the top-half of the league at his position for the last two years and is on a similar level to Jared Goff in Detroit. Statistically there are a lot of strong arguments to be made in his favour.
— As John Schneider pointed out, though, he has been an up-and-down performer. He started the 2022 season as a legit MVP candidate, with incredible production and performance. Yet in the second half of the season, things tailed off fairly dramatically to the point he ranked second in the NFL for turnover worthy plays. This year, the reverse happened. He started very slowly and had some ugly moments within a streaky overall offensive unit. Then, in the second half of the season, he recaptured a high level of performance.
— It doesn’t feel unreasonable to describe Smith as such — he is in no way, shape or form a ‘problem’ for the Seahawks that requires immediate, drastic action. However, it equally isn’t unreasonable to question whether he is ever going to be able to lead the Seahawks to where they want to get to which is contention for the Super Bowl. A few people believe Smith is ‘the guy’. I do not. I also think he’s a perfectly acceptable bridge until you find, hopefully, someone who can come in and do what Russell Wilson did and become a legit franchise quarterback. That said, there are other things the Seahawks have to consider that we as observers should also consider.
— Firstly, John Schneider’s opinion matters most, not ours. This sometimes gets overlooked. For example, Schneider spent the entire aftermath of the 2022 draft talking about the renewed emphasis the Seahawks were placing on character. He continued to say this 12 months ago. Even so, many were still convinced he was going to take Jalen Carter with the #5 pick, despite repeated questions about his character and a highly publicised news story about his potential involvement in a high-speed crash that killed two people.
— There have been other mistakes too. How often was the Russell Wilson trade talk dismissed as a non-story? Clearly it wasn’t and it didn’t take much research to come to that conclusion. It’s still amazing how many people outright failed to consider it as a possibility. Especially when there was so much smoke — Schneider’s relationship with Wilson’s agent, the reports about interest in Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, the Adam Schefter tweet listing teams Wilson would be prepared to go to, and so on.
— Schneider has been completely non-committal on Smith so far, as has the Head Coach he’s just appointed in Mike Macdonald. When asked to discuss Smith at his solo press conference, Schneider simply talked about his up-and-down form with no reference to next season. Macdonald name-dropped Drew Lock — a free agent — in his answer about Smith, and was equally non-committal. On Monday during an interview with Seattle Sports, Macdonald mentioned he’d spoken to ‘both quarterbacks, Drew and Geno’. It would’ve been very easy at any point to reference Smith in the future tense as the team’s starter, or speak of their aims for next season with Smith under center. Neither Schneider or Macdonald have done this, yet they keep bringing up Lock’s name, despite the fact he’s no longer contracted to the team.
— This might mean nothing. I do think it’s strange, though, if Seattle’s intention was to unquestionably bring back Smith next year, why there hasn’t been one thing said to make that clear? ‘Smith is our guy’, ‘we’re looking to see more consistency from him next year’, ‘we have so many good ideas for Geno in our offense’. These are easy things to say and if there was no doubt he was returning, there’d be absolutely zero reason not to say them. At the very least, it feels like everything is being left on the table.
— It’s often argued that Smith’s $31.2m salary is reasonable relative to his performance and compared to his peers. I think there are other things to discuss here. For example, if Schneider is minded to view Smith and/or Lock as simply ‘bridge’ quarterbacks, does he want to commit that much money to either? If he has identified a quarterback or multiple quarterbacks he likes in the draft, and intends to give a rookie every opportunity to start in 2024, it will be very difficult to bench a player earning $31.2m compared to a cheaper bridge earning, say, the $4m Lock earned in 2023. You might scoff at the possibility of such a scenario but if Schneider really likes one of these young QB’s, you can see why he might wish to make a change. It’s not automatic that the GM would prefer to sit a rookie for a year — especially if, for arguments sake, that rookie has played a lot of college football games, is already 24 and has maybe played two years with the offensive coordinator you just appointed. If you want to max-out a rookie contract and have that player start quickly — it makes little sense to carry a $31.2m backup. Lock can hedge against the draft at a far cheaper price, if needed. I don’t think this is a preposterous thing to consider.
— It’s also possible that Schneider, when faced with Smith suddenly having a cap hit three times higher than his 2023 number, simply doesn’t think there’s a $27.2m difference in quality between Smith and Lock. After all, Smith was seen as a busted flush before reviving his career in Seattle. Is it unthinkable that Schneider believes, with proper guidance, that Lock could similarly prove to be a viable, yet cheaper, bridge option? I might be sceptical of that, you might be sceptical of that but can you say with any certainty that you think there’s no chance Schneider might feel this way?
— The Seahawks are $9.5m in the red for effective cap space, per OTC. They need to save money somewhere. While most people assume Jamal Adams is a goner, you typically see passionate online arguments for keeping Smith, Quandre Diggs and Leonard Williams. You’re going to need to be more active than simply getting rid of Adams, Bryan Mone and maybe a Will Dissly. Smith’s contract was set up to have an out for a reason — to create a decision right now about how to proceed. Whether his $31.2m makes sense comparatively within the league isn’t the question. It’s whether it makes sense for the Seahawks in 2024, at the start of a new era with major cap challenges staring the team in the face.
— I think it’s perfectly plausible that Smith will stay with the team and the non-committal language recently was a leverage play in talks over a renegotiation. I don’t think it’d be that shocking to learn, before Friday, that Smith has re-worked his deal to lower his cap hit and stay in Seattle. I do think that will be necessary though — I don’t think it’s likely at all that he plays on a cap hit that is three times what he played on last year, coming off a season where his numbers dipped across the board (he didn’t hit a single escalator) and he missed time due to injury.
— If he doesn’t re-work his deal before Friday, I can well imagine some people online making declarative statements that the issue is sorted. That’s it. Nothing to see here. Smith is confirmed as Seattle’s starter for 2024. That most definitely won’t be the case. The Seahawks have until March 20th to trade him and recoup the same saving ($13.8m) as cutting him will create. That is a hard deadline, due to a bonus in his contract. It is totally possible that, between now and the end of the combine, the Seahawks talk to interested parties about a trade that is completed when the new league year begins. Only once he either re-works his deal or we pass the March 20th deadline, will Smith be confirmed as the immovable starter for the Seahawks in 2024.
— My personal prediction is that he will be dealt. I think the Seahawks will believe he has some value and will look to get something back in a trade. Their leverage will not be great, due to the financial deadline placed on them. They might be able to eat some of Smith’s bonus, in order to get higher compensation. I do think, though, that Schneider is itching to draft a quarterback and that he possibly rates Lock more than others do and that he might think a cheaper bridge, with the prospect of a rookie competing for the job, will be the direction to go. That’s my hunch but I also lean somewhat to the lukewarm nature of their words being a leverage play to get his cap hit down this year.
— If he is traded, my guess would be Pittsburgh. They just cut Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph is a free agent. They only have Kenny Pickett on the roster and recently Team President Art Rooney II left the door open for a veteran quarterback trade (while also dismissing the prospect of any move being be a ‘blockbuster’ for a player such as Justin Fields). Someone like Smith could be a perfect fit for a Steelers team who have a brilliant defense to complement an offense that simply needs to not be awful. A soon-to-be 34-year-old Smith would also give them a year’s grace with Pickett, to see if he can take a step back on a cheaper rookie deal, regroup and emerge as a contender to start in 2025.
— I don’t think the Seahawks would be able to get much in a trade but if they’ve ultimately settled on going cheaper at the position and potentially targeting the draft, getting even a fourth rounder in return would be a plus versus an outright cut.
— Although that is my prediction, I appreciate anything could happen. It feels like a very fluid situation. I think we should be open-minded about this though. It does feel a little bit like battle-lines are being drawn within the fanbase again, where you have to pick a team. Haven’t we done that enough over the years? Running game vs anti-running game. Pro-Pete vs pro-change. Now you’re either for Geno or a ‘Geno hater’. Does every fanbase do this?
Well written, well considered and comprehensive
I’m exhausted with the Geno debate.
Bottom line is laid out well:
1. He likely has value (I think more than less) and will be dealt. This also provides cap relief.
2. He will be retained as a bridge because the cap relief is not needed and no trade value materialized (all those Geno hater GMs).
3. He will be cut for cap relief and that is that.
PFF has him ranked at 12.. where purdy is 18th or something like that.. some teams out there might see value. Just matters what Kirk cousins decides, what the broncos do with russ, bears with Fields..
I would love the steelers trading for Geno.. wont happen.. but still..
Geno at $31m might actually become the problem for the Seahawks.
I think the Hawks are trying to extend Geno to push his cap hit out. I think they’ve downplayed him and played up Lock to get the best deal with Geno.
If they’re truly interested in Lock, they’d sign him now for backup money and then trade their starter. But, they’re not doing that.
I highly, highly, highly doubt they are looking to extend him at this stage
And it’s entirely possible they re-sign Lock and trade Geno
Off subject-sorry. There is a report out there that Jalen Carter threatened to murder a 49ers O lineman and his family. Don’t know if it’s credible but glad that it isn’t a Seahawks problem.
It was frustrating that we had to waste so much time and energy pointing out why it wouldn’t be a Seahawks problem year ago, for three months
👍
Did you see the other side of the report? Feliciano can get bent.
Teams often prop a player up that they want to trade. We have not heard JS talk our QB1 up when given the opportunity. MM’s take was complimentary, but nowhere near commital.
The take I am leaning towards is that an extension/renegotiation for a bridge season is a fair possibility. This scenario requires Geno’s camp to play along. If they do not, those mentions of Lock feel legit.
We all know not to assume JS will tip his hat regarding the draft – or anything for that matter – that is fluid. I agree with you completely that this is indeed a fluid situation. Thus he, and the team, remain in ‘stealth mode’.
BTW – Drew Lock’s game would be quite favorable paired with what we seen in Grubb’s Offense. Talent has never been our QB2’s issue and we do know that Schneider did gush about Lock when he arrived, closing a statement with “and he’s got a Hose for an arm!”
Intriguing to say the least.
Everything is on the table, including a cap-reducing short-term bridge role that is presented as an incentive-loaded long-term contract is something I can see happening.
As long as that would-be extension has a similar ‘next-year-easy-out’ that this current deal has, I’d be game. An extension saves face VS a pay cut in how it can be spun as a contribution to the salary cap, but at a lower 2024 cap hit, then make room for this upcoming draft to net the QB going forward. Plus, that lower number for this coming season makes the ‘bridge’ role palatable…
A renegotiation maybe
Not an extension
To answer your question whether if every fanbase does this?
Answer is yes. In every sport imaginable, especially in online discourse.
Good to know
Rob, there are factions of 9er fans calling for Kyle Shanahan’s head. The most vocal often have the most basic understanding of things and simultaneously manage to be the loudest
Those Niners fans need a reality check
Niners fans are such front runners. I wish they would reject modernity and embrace tradition:
Tomsula
Kelly
Singletary
And quite a few more to mention
Well said Rob. I’m a believer I that the future will be somewhere in the first 1-3 rounds of this draft, and also the Lock talk is a key to assume they are likely looking at him as the bridge.
Geno has been a great story for the team and fan base. No need to be harsh or anti-Geno. Jon Kitna was a baller for a couple years and back and similar lightening rod for fans.
This franchise just started a MASSIVE reset, so best not tie your anchor to anyone at this point.
I was never a fan of Geno even when he was lighting it up the 1st half of the season 2 years ago and doing pretty darn good the 2nd half of last season. He certainly has ‘something’ and but it sure ain’t ‘IT’. I never understood the fan base element that thought he was the guy. He’s Geno, pretty good, but not good enough.
I just can’t imagine JS would ever give him $31 mil+. A trade does seem like the best option or if not, adjusting his contract to half of that or less and using him as a bridge.
The devil you know being better than the devil you don’t know doesn’t win SB’s and in the NFL it perpetuates mediocrity at best.
The fan base thought he was the guy because of the hate of Russ wanting to leave Seattle and Geno then beat Russ and Denver the first game that’s where the fan base loved Geno and don’t see the flaws.
Interesting. I don’t know if you’re right but it’s possible. I’ve never thought of it that way but something must motivate this strong, underlying passion for the guy. I get it when it came to Pete. He took this program, so mediocre for decades, to the promised land. For some, that was good enough reason to allow the guy to write his own ticket. Geno was harder to understand. This seemingly limitless, not entirely rational devotion to a decent but not great leader.
It’s not a bad thing. Nor necessarily a wholly good thing. Like any socio-cultural norm, there are advantages and disadvantages.
I know somone who really likes Geno for those similar reasons as well. He was the guy who sat on the bench for years, always waiting for his opportunity and preparing as if he were the starter. Meanwhile, Russ was seen as a guy who became too much about himself, wanting to be seen as a top tier pocket passer instead of realizing Carroll was protecting him from his weaknesses, such as holding the ball too long and not taking the easy completion.
Geno was the guy who came in and got the ball off on time, and would use the middle of the field, and was maybe even more mobile than Russ at that point. He came across as team first, and was an unexpected success. In short, he was the loyal underdog. He’s now one of his favorite Seahawks, and he doesn’t want to see him go. It took some convincing to get him to realize Geno didn’t play so well in the second half last year, despite his depection in the media.
I personally think that Geno has shown to be an above average starting QB the last couple of years, and may even be able to sniff the top 10 if he can put it together for an entire season.
I think we likely re-sign Geno as our insurance policy/bridge with the plan trade him after the draft if we get our guy, and said guy is ready to start. If we get our guy, I don’t think we’ll be that concerned about trade compensation. Cap relief will probably be reward enough.
Lock + more cap space > Geno. It’s not that i don’t understand the pro Geno argument, it’s that I don’t get the passion. He’s an OK 34 year old QB- there’s nothing wrong with that but there’s not much right either. If he’s here another year at a much reduced rate, so be it such that rest of the roster can be improved to balance his shortcomings. A heavily incentivized contract seems reasonable to me but ‘heavy incentives’ is obviously the arguing point.
Some of the fanbase expectations are a factor into to Geno is the answer and not or part of the problem. They don’t see the flaws in his play being up/down and inconsistent at times they just see hey if you just fix the defense this team will be the Superbowl bound. Plus they probably have an affinity for Geno cause he played well against Russ and had an over expected season after the trade.
Geno is an ok QB but the price tag he carries is the main issue that people scoff at this team is in for a rebuild and needs to fix where the money is invested into under the Pete tenure. Pete is gone (Geno’s biggest supporter) John is now in full charge and has the chance to make his name at having the possibility of drafting the next best QB and you can’t draft a QB with one on your roster that is making over $30M and not having the ability to shift that money into the OL/DL to help a rookie QB.
Excellent article as always Rob, you truly spoil us!
Great article Rob!
As much as I would like to get some kind of compensation for Geno, at this point I hope he is cut by Friday. Let him control where he goes and don’t worry about getting stuck with his contract.
I tend to agree. If Schneider is confident he can deal the guy, he’d better be right or he locks the team in to the guy for another year. I love getting and squirreling away draft capital but in this case I’m not sure it’s worth the risk. If no one who needs a QB thinks he’s worth his contract, we’re in trouble, and there are a lot of QB options in the draft and free agency this year.
I’m pretty confident he’ll be traded. Geno is a mid tier QB on a mid tier contract. The major players who are “just a QB away” include the Steelers and Falcons. Who else is out there in the vet QB market that offers Geno production at his price? Russ hasn’t even started his next contract yet and seems worse than Geno. Cousins is coming off an Achilles injury and will likely resign with Minnesota. Maybe one of these teams wants to take a swing at trading for Howell?
If he is dealt, does that mean that it’s highly likely that a QB will be drafted? On the flip side, if there is no QB in the draft that they love, is it likely that Geno will be retained?
I just don’t see the point in trying to get anywhere with an average quarterback. I guess if you have nastalgia for the Tavaris Jackson days this is kinda fun, but what are we really doing here? We need to be overturning stones and take some real shots again at finding a franchise QB.
I should start by saying that I, personally, don’t consider myself a “Geno hater.” I do, however, consider myself a “Geno realist.” As such, I’m fully willing to consider that Geno is, and perhaps always has been, a better QB than his previous opportunities allowed him to showcase. However, he’s also not at an age or at a salary that is conducive to long term success or flexibility for this team, under new leadership.
Public admission of such can be viewed as “Geno hate” by those that view Geno in two terms: as an underdog that succeeded against tall odds AND as the last remnant of Pete’s unbridled optimism. I understand the latter, from a fan perspective. However, as it’s been said before, there’s something about an underdog that really inspires the unexceptional, and perhaps that’s what many Hawks fans have trouble accepting.
Makes for a good flick though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=firK4y-3bKw&ab_channel=RottenTomatoesClassicTrailers
Geno to Pittsburgh is super logical. They don’t have the early picks to realistically get up in range for the top top guys.
Maybe you could squeeze a 3rd rounder, or maybe it’s a pick swap, or a 4th and 5th.
I’ll take the 4th and the cap savings though.
I can’t imagine many teams will be interested in trading for Geno. Maybe NE if they trade out of number 3, but still… why would they do that?
Drew Lock PFF – 61.3
Geno Smith PFF – 82.9
Cut Geno and you get $13.8M
Then you sign Lock as a “starter” for???
No thanks.
You have to ask – Can i get someone better than Geno for less than $13.8M. I don’t see it.
As I said in the piece, if their intention is to draft a QB and go young, then Lock for the $4m he was on last season (or something similar in the way of a cap hit) plus a rookie is perfectly plausible
And you need to factor in more than the $13.8m — it’s the money you save in 2025 too
You’re thinking short term. The objective may be to plan ahead, let a rookie develop and go from there. It’s not about just 2024.
Also, who’s better for Grubbs system?
Drew Lock had a terrific arm as a prospect. Could Grubb see him as a better fit than Geno. Geno doesn’t have a bad arm either, but I think Lock has better arm talent
There’s no way Lock signs for $4M. He’ll want starter money.
But, you make a good point about 2025.
He can’t expect starter money. He isn’t a starter.
Depends on whether everyone agrees with that assessment. He had that drive against the Eagles. His agent will talk it up. Teams will analyze the film for themselves. The arm talent is clear. The potential is harder to assess. I’m more bullish on Drew than most but I’m no expert. My eyes help me to perceive something different than what Rob and others see, but I don’t know that I’m right. If anything, I doubt myself because I’ve never played football and know that my knowledge is limited.
As of right now, he isn’t a starter. And at his age, can’t be expected to get paid as one. It was just last year that he was available and no one else signed him, for whatever reason.
The tape he put out was fine. He should get some offers, but I don’t expect a bidding war. Or much of a pay increase if any at all for him.
I wouldn’t say ‘no way’
The market will dictate how much he can earn
Lock is the same guy today (but a year older) than the guy whose best offer last offseason was $4M as a clear backup to Geno. Most important for Lock will be an opportunity to compete for the starter job. He might get more than $4M, but no one is giving him starter money.
It’s two years now with a bridge QB…but to where? What’s the point of a bridge QB if there’s nothing waiting at other end of the bridge? I get why John may have held off, to the detriment of the franchise, hoping Carroll can make Geno into something, but you cant go three year into this “reset” with Geno and Lock again. Give Lock a chance and find a few other option, in the draft or FA. John needs to get serious about the QB situation.
John had no choice until now. Pete outranked him and made very clear that Geno was his man.
The reason the Hawks didn’t draft a QB last year was that they were all gone by the time we picked and apparently JS did not think much of Levis. Was not for want of one.
Maybe, but
A) He could’ve at least been in the conversation to trade up for the #1 overall pick. At #5 he was in a much better starting position than the Panthers. How great would it be to have Stroud right about now? But apparently he was way out of the loop.
B) He could’ve tried to trade #5 for a future first, giving us ammo this year to potentially move up and get our guy.
Rob, I like your well thought out articles; just started reading them. Here is an idea I’ve had for a few years now. It’s profound, but think it through carefully. Since many of the 1st round qb’s are a little bit more than a crap shoot (and much more expensive than 3rd+ rounders), I think the ‘Hawks should draft TWO qb’s. Maybe one at 16, then another in the 3rd or 4th round. Let them compete for the job – or backup. I’m flabbergasted at how many qb’s are drafted in the first round and don’t pan out. If a team is serious about winning, draft two of them. Heck, if they’re both good, then we get great trade value in return.
Only re-sign Geno for the $20+m he’s making now or trade him. We can get along ok with Lock until next QB steps up. Speaking of same, I really want a qb who has great presence of knowing where the defenders are and knows when to move or run to avoid the rush and find open receivers – and with decent or better accuracy. Look, losing the 3rd down battle is like a turnover, each time right? I just get so amazed how Mahomes and Allen seem to escape the pocket (or step up) and run for a 1st down. It is a huge difference maker – which is one of the major reasons why Russell Wilson was so successful in his early years. ALL those 1st downs he made on 3rd down when no other options were available. Again, draft TWO qbs!
No, the point is to prepare for a QBOTF. Who really cares about Lock or Geno? They aren’t going to play any part in the Seahawks’s legitimate window. There is way, way too much caught up in who is better. Does not matter. Neither are are.
You pick the savings and what is better for the team overall.
We don’t know all of this, but we DO know that Geno isn’t going to play any part in the Seahawks’ “window.” I don’t have much confidence in Drew Lock being a factor, but I absolutely know that Geno isn’t a factor. Drew wins handily if I’m comparing the two.
No one else sees Geno as anything more than an also-ran backup QB, at most. He has no value on the trade market. If anyone here thinks I am a “Geno hater,” just see what he fetches for our beloved Seahawks on the trade market.
If we keep Geno, it will be because we couldn’t get even a R3 pick for him.
I think we know already…
Look no further than when he had a pretty good year and was a true free agent. No one came with a pile of cash and uts not like Seattle was hitting him with the franchise Tag ike a lot of folks thought would happen.
The cap hit is 31.2M not 13.8M. PFF grades aren’t the end be all and Lock only has a small sample size, you have to keep in mind that he wasn’t getting first team reps all off season. He filled in for a few games for an injured Geno and played decent. If Geno were that valuable, Seattle would get a round 1 or 2 pick in exchange for him, they won’t, they’d be lucky to get a 4th or 5th round pick.
PSA: it’s ok to have a losing season, rebuild and come back the next year. The world will not end.
There’s nothing worse than mediocrity in sports
Here Here!!!
I love the logic and facts you put into this article. Love your analysis- keep it up!
Probably not going to happen, what if John picks two QBs from the draft and let them flight for the starting spot. In this scenario, you don’t need a bridge QB and you double your chances?
Then it would be called a waste of draft capital. Do your work, pick your guy, make sure you get him, do what you can for him.
You don’t draft a bunch of guys that throw them in the arena, last man standing.
Agreed. Though it must be noted that Matt Flynn (7th) and Brian Brohm (2nd) were both drafted by GB in 2008
Wooow they sure did.
I completely forgot that.
Washington did it it in 2012 with RG3 and Kirk cousins
And the famous example of RG3 and Kirk Cousins (1st and 4th).
Wow, I just actually wrote a reply strongly supporting drafting 2 qb’s. And here I was thinking I was the only one with that idea!
I’m too lazy to do the research right now, but what was the situation with the Seahawks when they traded for Matt Flynn and also drafted Russell Wilson? Who was the incumbent quarterback? Did Schneider like both Flynn and Wilson? How about Pete? What did they pay/trade Flynn? Where did he end up?
Just wondering if there are parallels from the past that might apply to the current quarterback situation …..
The Geno cult is a re-brand of the Pete cult who cosplayed with the Jamal cult and joined forces with the Russ cult.
It’s a certain vocal band of fan that fears change and screams louder when the fear starts to materialize, lashing out like 4 year olds when the sandwich is cut horizontal instead of diagonal.
I don’t hate them, after all it was the local media that created them- they care about the Seahawks. They will also likely never reason decisions as an owner or Schneider will. For them, the Hawks are more about their media personalities and highlight moments and preserving them, not about how can we win a SB next year. A piece of them died when Russ was traded, they don’t want to go through that again.
They do seem to eventually come around, but not before finding a new cult following unfortunately.
💯
Profound comment, it really is a fear of change or unknown I think which fuels these unreasonable takes.
Also I think in addition to what you said, some fans just don’t care that much or think that deeply about the team. They are more casual, and there is nothing wrong with that!
But if you really care, if you really want the best for the team, that take a certain level of ruthlessness and logic based thinking which can run counter to basic fan type thoughts/behaviors.
Casual fans vs hard core fans are not really always gonna agree because they ultimately care about different things.
So true. Belichick would piss off the New England faithful by moving on from guys who still had a bit left in the tank. Were he our coach and GM, Lockett would be out. Same for a bunch of others but I use Lockett as my example because it would cut some fans to the quick. But Bill didn’t have an ounce of sentimentality to him, and it worked, at least as long as he had Brady and Gronk.
This is an example of dividing the fanbase. Those who are pro-Geno are not necessarily pro-Jamal or pro-Russ. People can like or dislike individual players. Those who have an agenda to get more clicks via Twitter or more listeners via sportsradio hot takes may just take a contrarian approach to whatever the conventional wisdom is.
I think it’s unfair to lump everyone who likes Geno into the same camps as those who were pro-Pete, Jamal, or Russ and call them a cult. Hell, I was pro-Russ and anti-Pete back when there were Russ trade rumors. I’m certainly not all-in for Geno, but I get why my wife and brother likes Geno–he’s the epitome of an underdog who get his chance and has certainly proven that he’s at least worthy of being a solid NFL starting QB. But–my family (thankfully) doesn’t spend as much time critically thinking about the Hawks as I do, so I get why they don’t share my view that Geno is too expensive for the goals of the team.
We can all hold multiple opinions about the team, but it’s too easy these days to draw up lines of pro vs con for every single issue. With something as important as the starting QB of the local sports team, there’s room for nuance. I can both love Geno and also realize he’s too expensive to keep. I can both lament how great the Pete years were while also being excited that we finally broke away from the same patterns and are trying something new.
Sorry, though, I cannot find much good to say about Jamal other than I wish he was WAY better than he turned out to be. Even if he were, I still think we paid a bit too much for him. Twice.
I’m not clubbing all fans who like Geno into a cult. I don’t mind Geno and okay with a restructured deal this year, I’m fine with trading him also. The nuance you speak of is rational and you seem to have well-reasoned opinions, but that’s not the stance of this group Rob is pointing. It’s the complete lack of reason this group of fans possess and the only argument is name-calling you a Geno-hater if you aren’t staunchly in their camp.
“Pete cult who cosplayed with the Jamal cult” ha!!! Geno is gone, I expect a full house cleaning of bloated contracts left over in the fridge from the Pete era. That Jamal contract is as moldy as it gets.
Fantastic, spot on summation Denver
I appreciate what Geno has done, but he is a bridge.
This is a team in transition, brand new coaching staff, GM wholly empowered to draft 100% how he wants for the first time, and also make any cuts to the roster as he sees fit.
The question is, is Geno the long term solution to the hawks? He is not in my opinion, so you trade him for any pick you can get and enjoy cap savings this year and going forward.
If you are trying to eek out a 9 or 10 win season next year sure keep Geno, but if you care about the long term health of the team, get rid of EVERY bad contract, trade those who have value but aren’t part of your 3-4 year plan, and embrace the changes which are inevitable
I think you’ve hit on something here. A big part of this decision is going to be informed by what the front office expectations are for next year and the 2 to 3 years following. If the expectation is to win as many games as possible RIGHT NOW, then keeping Geno seems like the logical play. But if the front office is taking a longer view and is perfectly willing to take their lumps this year in order to lay the groundwork for true contention in 2025 or 26, then trading or cutting Geno is perfectly rational. If they’re willing to suffer through a 5-8 win season, why not roll with Lock and a rookie and use the cap savings to build a great defensive and/or offensive line? Even if the rookie you draft this year doesn’t look like he’s going to pan out, you can take another stab at it in 2025 with an even stronger supporting cast.
Our 2 3’s + geno + eat some salary for their 1st (21)
Atlanta maybe an option he did have an epic game vs Falcons in 2022 maybe Blank has a shine for him.
I can fall either way with Geno. 2 years ago he showed he can reasonably lead the team, however last years Geno is not a QB I would like to see back. Nevertheless, if his coach is willing to try to coach him up, I’d be interested in seeing where Geno can go.
I was on the bandwagon for a change. As much as I appreciated the job Pete Carroll had done over the years, I was getting tired of seeing under performing defenses and a lack of explosiveness from the Seahawk offenses.
With that said part of the reason I wanted Pete gone was I believed many of the coordinators he brought in were over there head. From that perspective I’m willing to give Geno the benefit of the doubt.
My concern from last year in Geno’s play was with his inability to make a quick decisive play in the middle of the field when everything else seemed unavailable. I believe the Seahawk receiving group is as good as it has ever been. When Darrell Bevell was coordinator, Doug Baldwin with much less receiving talent around him was constantly finding massive openings 6-7 yards down the middle of the field, something I see JSN doing. So is this failure to get the ball out to an underneath safety valve a result of scheme, Geno’s not having Dave Canales, or just Geno?
If the new Seahawk coaches are interested in finding out with Geno so am I. If not, I hope Geno gets a good situation where he find out what he can be.
Great article Rob.
“Although that is my prediction, I appreciate anything could happen.”
This is a very reasonable conclusion because it really does feel like everything is on the table. Which is a good job by Schneider keeping everyone guessing, which can only be good for Seattle. My prediction is that they will keep him and add a young QB, but as you said, anything can happen.
One point I see differently – GB was twice content to draft 1st round QBs and let them sit for multiple years behind a high priced veteran. I think Schneider will look at how those situations were handled as wins and won’t be afraid to keep Geno if it means they have the best chance to win while a young QB develops.
Of course, Geno is no Favre or Rogers…
I think that last sentence sums it up really
Love Geno.
But for me, I’d rather sign a young difference maker with his money and draft a QB. I don’t want to diddle in the middle of mediocrity.
Sadly I do think Geno could take us far in the playoffs if he had a top 5 OL. Think about how many game wining drives he had this and last year. A better OL would give better protection and take the pressure off him with the running game. But I think we are missing too many pieces for that right now.
Ask yourself. Does it really make sense to pay 31.50mil for a bridge QB.
I mean the difference between having Geno on/off the roster is more like $8M, assuming you cut him pre-June 1st for $13M savings and sign a bridge QB for $5M. So that is really the question.
And there are other considerations, as Rob has so thoughtfully laid out. Rostering him does create some dead cap for 2025, but he would be a very manageable cut then.
I laugh that this is still a debate to some.
Geno is an, at best, mid level qb.
This isn’t a russ debate, who actually showed top 5 ability for significant stretches in his career.
Either pay him 12m to be kirk cousins lite, or cut him and run with a bridge qb. Either way, draft the best rookie qb you can reach.
I was wondering if the John and Mike coordinated luke-warm Geno reviews might be a bargaining ploy, so it is nice to see someone else acknowledge the possibility. As an aside, has anyone else been thinking we could be looking at the Seabawks next GM … 10 or 12 years from now, if John wants to step down? Mcdonald just seems to give off that vibe to me.
Anyway, John has shown a lot of patience with the coaching hires, it seems possible that he will show the same patience looking for a QB and will want a decent option in the meantime. So, Rob, if I may be familiar, you mentioned that Geno has similar ratings to Goff. Goff has had the advantage of an arguably superior coordinator and offense to run. I love the way that Geno throws the ball … not that I am any judge … it just seems like he has an extra mis-read or three each game. Could a better designed offense help him with that?
If the Seahawks trade Geno in March, that would send a signal to every team that the Seahawks are most likely drafting a QB. Probably in Round 1.
So we should keep him just to not send a signal? That’s one expensive ploy…and I’m sure other teams already know we’re looking for a QB
We definitely need to draft a Quarterback. I just find it interesting that the draft is after free agency.. I expect a lot of the QBs to go of the board quickly and wonder if the Seahawks would need to trade up to ensure that they get their guy.
Yeah, and I’m all for trading up for the right guy. It’s a very weird year though that’s for sure. The top six could go in round 1, or half of them could go in round 3. I’m very hesitant to wait for someone to fall to us.
So? Still have to draft someone. Can’t be scared because “they might know what we want to do!”
Secrets basically already out.
I think giving Geno a chance with Grubb is best, he’s shown to be a solid to good QB and I’d rather find savings by ditching Diggs, maybe Myers, etc rather then messing with the good offense
We have a very middling offense.
to your comment I would say Value. In a league that is always trying to find value to maximize the talent from the resources a mid tier QB at 31 million is a vast waste of resources. Or as MacDonald Stated Chasing the edges. The edges means not sinking an ungodly amount of salary cap into a mid tier player. But then again they sank 8 to 9 mil into Dissly.
Could they rework Geno contract to see what he does in the new system for a season?
Yes, if they want to that is an option
I eagerly await Corbin Smith’s rebuttal to Rob’s article.
A middling QB will get you middling results which means a middling record and middling draft position in 2025. That there are some willing to pay $31 million for that outcome shocks me. Do they not understand opportunity costs?
This team fired a legendary coach, replacing him with the youngest head coach in the league and hired an OC with zero NFL experience. This is a hard reset. Bad contracts and aging players need to go. The Seahawks must become ruthless again.
Agree with this.
ditto
I want to address the issue you raised, Rob, about people’s tendency to take differences of opinion on Geno, on Pete, on Russ, etc. very personally. Not everyone does this but some clearly do. I want to be clear that, in laying out my ideas, I’m not intending to be critical of those who hold things that way. I don’t see this as a right/wrong or better/worse thing. It’s just a matter of culture and social norms. I see distinct advantages and disadvantages in various ways of seeing the world.
I’ve said this before. As one who grew up in New York, I come from a culture where people throw around ideas and thrash out opinions routinely. In that world, no one took it personally, at least when I was growing up and through the date I left for good, which was circa 1985. The entire culture of the Northeast is this way, which has something to do with it being a seat of traditional educational institutions (old boarding schools, Ivy League colleges and the like). There’s a way of approaching thought and knowledge which is embedded in the culture.
After college, I moved away from New York, cross country, and was surprised when I met people who related to ideas and opinions very differently. Rather than throwing them up for all to see rather casually, spinning them around, looking at one side and then another, taking shots at them and analyzing up the wazoo, I found that people held a single opinion with what struck me as incredible sincerity. Like they were offering up something important. Not just important but an important part of themselves, often with a degree of vulnerability.
It felt like they held this sincerely held idea right in front of their chest, as if it was an extension of their heart. And if you took a shot at it, they took it very personally, as if you were shooting not only at them but right at their heart and soul. It took me a while to get that. A lot of people were hurt by the way I’d respond to their ideas and I didn’t have a clue why they would get upset, sometimes calling me a jerk. I found it so puzzling but, over time, I came to see the outlines of a very different sort of culture.
Washington State isn’t the Midwest but it’s culturally similar. Far more similar to the Midwest than it is to New York. It’s no mistake in my book that the Midwest is called the heartland. I think of it as a place where people tend to lead with the heart. We in the northeast tend to lead with our minds. In many ways, I prefer a heart-centric approach to life. It’s far more human.
That’s what I think you’re encountering, Rob. London is a lot like New York than the American Midwest. It’s not an accident you’ve got Oxford and Cambridge. In forums like this, one finds those who like to think and write and share opinions. One could call that an intellectual perspective. So there are those who take no offense when they encouter differing opinions. Seattle is not monolithic. It contains elements of various cultures and every culture contains a variety of people, some of whom fit the local culture better than others.
But those Midwestern norms remain, unseen but present, like magnetic lines running parallel to one another. Drop metal shavings into them in the wrong direction and they’ll tend to sit there in an uncomfortably unstable manner until they turn and come to rest in the same direction as the magnetic lines.
In this sort of culture, there’s a tendency to be quiet unless one feels one has something important to say, to measure one’s words, and when the words come, to have a sense that they carry real meaning. Those sorts of assumptions are very different than my fundamental assumptions, where run more like: Silence is a sign of not having much to share; it’s kind to share one’s ideas because that’s how people connect; ideas are just ideas, not to be taken personally; opinions are to be shared; if someone has a different idea it’s not in any way personal. In talking, one or both of us may change our opinions. By sharing ideas, we’re bonding and becoming friends. And what’s more important than our opinions is the quality of our analysis. In other words, our friendship will come not from having similar ideas but rather because we have respect for each other’s way of analyzing reality.
Though I’ve been out of New York since I was a young adult, I don’t really fit in anywhere anymore. When I go back there, it’s too “New York” for me anymore. But I don’t really fit in here either because, though you can take the boy out of New York, you can never take New York out of the boy. That’s where my cultural assumptions were formed. They’re burned in so deeply, I can’t fully escape them, even if I’m pretty good at analyzing them. (Of course I am, because that’s the New York way of relating to my reality.)
Some people think this Northeastern way of analyzing things is a sign of intellect. I disagree. It’s just a way of looking at things. One learns to do it but in the end we’re just well trained monkeys. Brilliance exists but it’s another matter, no more likely to be found in one place than another, among people of one class or race or culture than another. One may be a brilliant car mechanic rather than nuclear physicist, so no one particularly notices (except maybe your customers, who notice how well you fix their cars). Not everyone gets the opportunity to explore their potential. In fact, few do. One gets locked in for a variety of reasons. Some are born locked in to a limited range of options. So we should go out of our way to respect one another. As no one can no what his brother or sister is up against. It’s impossible to walk in each other’s moccasins. Each path is solitary.
Man, a lot of grammatical errors and typos. Since there’s no edit button, I should learn to proofread.
That’s an interesting perspective & much appreciated by this UK’er.
I see it as an extension of political popularism. Or perhaps vice versa? You are either for us or against us. Is Pete the Seahawks HC? Then you can’t say anything against him. Is Russ the Seahawks QB? Then he is perfect & how dare you say otherwise! You are either all in or all out. Russ not the QB anymore? Then he is a dirty traitor wno was never really one of us!
Rob, or anyone else, is never going to win these type of people over, regardless of the quality of argument that he deploys. Of course you have to keep fighting the good fight, making your case, arguing the facts, or else mindless populism will claim the field. But best not to get emotionally engaged with those elements as it can only be an exercise in frustration.
Could Geno Smith be headed to the Bears? Maybe they send Fields to the Steelers and trade out of #1 (or use Geno as a bridge after drafting Williams). Geno then follows Shane Waldron and (don’t forget this):
“Four days after hiring Shane Waldron as their offensive coordinator, the Bears added another assistant to the mix with Kerry Joseph following Waldron from Seattle to become the new quarterbacks coach on Matt Eberflus’ staff.” 🤔
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/01/26/chicago-bears-hire-seattle-seahawks-assistant-kerry-joseph-as-their-quarterbacks-coach/#:~:text=Four%20days%20after%20hiring%20Shane,announced%20the%20move%20Friday%20evening.
There is no chance the Bears trade out of #1 and then turn to Geno
Rob did mention one thing that had not crossed my mind. Did John/Mike purposely mention Drew Lock’s name to renegotiate Geno Smith’s contract? Maybe. Or maybe Drew Lock is in their plans for 2024.
BTW: If John Schneider somehow got a 4th round pick for Geno Smith that would be a steal.
This is one of the most thoughtful and well-analyzed articles you have written here, Rob. Thank you so much. We are so effing lucky to have you.
Jalen Carter, still keeping it classy…
https://x.com/mongofeliciano/status/1757568603333812623?s=46
Come on, the witch hunt is over on Carter now..
Trash talk is trash talk. Crossing the line depends entirely on the individuals morals and conscience.
Are there unwritten rules amongst the players for no go topics? Who knows.
But in this case if true both are as bad as each other.
The problem is Jalen Carter can’t claim Feliciano did something wrong publicly and expect him to let it lie without also mentioning what he said, which is horrendous
You don’t see a line that was crossed on either side if true? Trash talk huh….
Witch hunt? The man’s reckless and irresponsible decisions contributed to the deaths of two people and he got a fucking ticket. Witch hunts are a colloquial term for people who unfairly face severe legal consequences due to mass hysteria. What Jalen Carter went through is the literal opposite of a witch hunt
Don’t overlook the fact that Schneider effectively traded Wilson for, amongst many other pieces, Drew Lock. He likes him.
I think Drew Lock was most likely the lowest totem out of all of the assets in the trade, both in value and on the ol’ wish list.
@ Rob – over the last couple of off-seasons the preferred route you landed on was to utilize Geno as a bridge and take the opportunity to red shirt a rookie QB. The Smith-Mahomes model. You sold the advantages of that very convincingly! Now you’d seem to value a 4th rounder over the advantages of that plan. What’s changed for you? Is it all about Geno’s cap hit? If so, what does a re-worked Geno contract have to look like for that Geno-Rookie bridge plan to look attractive to you again?
I haven’t actually offered that opinion, I’ve just said what I think might happen
But there is a noticeable difference between a $7m and $10m cap hit and a $31.2m cap hit
OK, fair enough.
Well, we might see what a reworked contract looks like soon… that’d be my hunch.
I think the least likely scenario of all is just keeping Geno at his current weighty cap hit.
Last year was the bridge year. Whether geno plays1-3 more seasons.
When you have the one year player you are not totally sold on, Geno with his contract, and you are gifted a top #5 pick you didn’t earn through atrocious play. That’s the time where you don’t draft Witherspoon probably JSN and you trade up with Chicago and select your qb.
Or too rich? For the price of Hall and young you move up for Levis.
Now. Genos been slightly found out and look put if it is Penix…..if geno plays like he did the first half of last year he won’t be a bridge as fans will be calling for the new kid.
Re. this article, you make lots of good points again, Rob, but I think I’d be interested in you ‘iron manning’ the two strongest arguments those in favour of keeping Geno as the franchise QB for a few years a bit more. As it is you don’t really touch on them.
1- That his dip in form this year correlates pretty closely to our injury woes on the O-line. We finished with the 29th ranked O-line overall and we know how much pressure he was getting.
2- That – as Rob said in his post-SB vid, there are different ways to do this, and Brock Purdy getting to a SB which he really should’ve won, is a great example. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for Seahawks fans to think that in Geno we have an as-good-as or better QB than Purdy.
Finally, I am not a fan of the football-data-geeks by any means, but it is noteworthy that tape-and-number crunchers like Ruiz at the Ringer and the Derrick K at 33rd Team had Geno inside their top10 QBs ending the season. With that in mind it’s not unreasonable for Seahawks fans to see the upside in keeping Geno around for another year and seeing if he can string together a more complete season. We’ve hit upon some value here, how best can we milk it.
For a new HC I think there will be an appeal to that plan, some solidity and continuity and a ‘high floor’ for the offense which a rookie starting right away lowers by default.
I think it’s hard to read much into those press conference comments as they came so early. Will MacD have done a full eval and already have a plan at QB? I don’t think so. It was more indicative of keeping options open and everything on the table, and as Rob notes, keeping leverage for a rework.
For me the ideal situation is quite clear cut: rework Geno’s contract for a more realistic cap hit and cut Lock saving some cap room there. Then draft a rookie and finally get this Smith-Mahomes plan we’ve been coveting for so long.
I’m not really having this though. There were plenty of games, such as Cincinnati, where the O-line was in flux but we still saw Geno missing a wide open JSN for a likely score and not being able to finish drives in the second half. Was he totally to blame? No, absolutely not. But I think there’s been some excuse making on his behalf too. The offense was hideously streaky at times and he does bear some responsibility for that — as does Waldron and the O-line. Some of Smith’s turnovers early in the season were awful. He had 13 turnover worthy plays in the first eight games.
That’s not the point I made at all though. I noted that it took the 49ers years to build a fantastic roster, noted how they’d done a terrific job being opportunistic with rare and unique trades for elite players, had an opportunity to draft an elite pass rusher at #2 and that they had almost won a SB by having a loaded team and by winning at the lines. Plus they have Kyle Shanahan, who I noted was a genius irrespective of his SB record.
So it’s not in any way shape or form — ‘Geno might be as good as Purdy so there we go’. The point was nothing to do with Purdy. It’s about there being various ways of winning and highlighting San Francisco’s. Trying to emulate this is going to be extremely, extremely difficult. Meanwhile, Purdy’s cap hit next year is $1m and Geno’s is $31.2m. And the Seahawks don’t have elite trench players, blue-chip talent across their roster and one of two elite offensive play callers running the show.
It’s not too early for John Schneider, is it.
Good points well made!
Appreciate the detailed response.
One thing I can’t compute on the data-geeks-for-Geno side is this thing where they split out a small run of games where the data is really favourable and use that in their arguments.
I get your wider point on Purdy and the 49ers now, thanks.
Will be fascinating to see where the franchise go with this from here
I think it’s extremely unreasonable to think that Geno is as good as or better than Purdy. There is no justification for that statement. Purdy is significantly better by any conceivable metric. Not to mention he’s 24 years old, not 34, and the 49ers can keep build around him for as long as they want. Geno isn’t going to magically become better than he was the last two years at his age, and there is an absolute zero chance we can turn this defense into a top-3 unit in one offseason with limited cap room.
I would say that he’s significantly better. He’s had a significantly better coach. And overall roster. Flip them around: 9er’s still in play for the #1 seed.
We would be picking higher than 16. Purdy is good enough that they have their qb going forward. He is a safer Jimmy Garrapolo.
My personal preference would be to keep Geno for 2024 and draft a quarterback to learn under him. I think he’s proven himself to be a good teammate and leader, and would be a good mentor for a young QB.
I also think Geno is significantly better than Lock and I would like to see him operate in Grubb’s system with a hopefully improved offensive line. It would be nice to be able to field a competitive team while also taking some lumps as they finds their footing in a new system.
That being said, I don’t think things will play out that way and the reality of the contract situation will cause the team to part ways with him.
As has been mentioned here and elsewhere, Geno was Pete’s guy and Pete was his biggest advocate in the building.
I think we’re already seeing hints that the gulf in the vision of the team’s future between Pete and John may have been wider than we realized.
Schneider’s tepid evaluation of Geno’s performance is really what made me think that his future is not with this team.
John and the team in general seem to be extremely deliberate in the words they choose when speaking publicly, and I don’t think that was an accident.
I think many fans/teams do this. It’s Society today. And, to be fair, it’s been a decade long slide to mediocrity and below–utter torture for fans.
But I don’t care for the hyperbole surrounding Geno. He’s a donut-hole QB: too good to dump, not good enough to pay. He’s neither a super gutsy competitor with a fierce will to win who can battle anyone on his best/worst day, nor is he lovable and improving like Hass…he’s not even Kitna, as far as Sentiment goes….I shake my head at the frothing at the mouth and stat cherry picking to insist he’s The Man.
He’s just too expensive. Without Lock available, they’d be stuck with him. I do think Seattle will have to pay Lock more to keep him this year, but he’s still a huge savings over Geno.
I also believe Lock will be better than Geno, given 10 games to start for us. He’s not as hesitant, and his last start showed more than Geno outside his Detroit games.
Anything could happen. I’m sure there’s lots of talking going on between JS and staff regarding QBs….
I forgot to type in Krieg before Hass. Krieg was a guy who was so competitive, he cheated at Pictionary vs Wyman and his lady. He could duke it out with anyone when he was hot, and wrestle for the title of worst QB ever on bad days….but he never, ever gave up.
Geno is like the economy.
If you need to find every obscure metric to prove the economy is great; you don’t have a great economy.
The presence of both sides in this fanbase proves Geno really is a mid-level starting QB whose age poses a real issue on a team that still needs a few years.
Watch yourself 😀 I was told that I sound old when I said magic metrics like epa ( expected points) are garbage if the expected points don’t equal the real points.
In other news I’m excited to say I am looking for early investors of my F.R.O.G.G.E.R. 1 qb analytics system.
F-focused
R-rapid
O- awesome
G-good
G-great
E-amazing
R-radical
Where college qbs play frogger over and over to see who has the field vision needed to succeed at the next level.
I would be curious to see both Lock and Geno compete with the new offense, and minus Pete and Ol’ Tater.
So many times Geno had time, but double-clutched, scared to make a bad throw–only to pick and throw wildly at the end of the play. To me, that showed Carrol was in his head, making him paranoid about turnovers. It didn’t help. All that said, Id kinda like to see if Geno can get back to first half 2022 level play–just not at 31 million per year.
Panic, not pick….I hate autocorrect!
You are spot on. I think there will be some discussions during the combine and Geno is likely to be moved. I appreciate what Geno has done, but we need to explore all avenues to get this team into SB contention.
I look at this the same way as the Pete Carroll situation. He’s gonna be gone in another year anyway (there’s virtually no chance he plays out the 3rd year of his contract). Unless you really think we can win a championship next year with Geno Smith, with the way this team played down the stretch, without the cap space to do anything but replace all the players we are getting rid of… then ok, have your dreams…
Otherwise, it makes no practical difference if we move on this year or next. We’re gonna have to do this in a year anyway, just as we would have with Pete. Drawing parallels to that situation, I find it incredibly likely JS will address things now. Ownership supported cutting Pete loose a year early for the sake of accelerating the rebuild of the franchise. They gave a lucrative 6-year contract to a rookie head coach, which says to me they are willing to put up with a bad season or two (short of going 0-17 or something). The leaders of the org seem completely bought into the new vision for the future, which requires aggressive changes to get back to contention faster. Regardless of my own personal feelings on Geno, I think all the signs are pointing towards moving on from him now.
This ‘plan’ to sell 50M shares this year is in the neighbourhood of what the Hawks might cost. What was the timing that made sense for Jody to put them up for sale?
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos sells shares worth over $4bn https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68277678
Two things.
I’m pretty sure this is a tax move
And for those who have had a 206,425,possilbe 253 area code…bezos owning the hawks? Why? In what universe has Bezos shown he’s given a flying *bleep* about Seattle. Short of owning the team to say he owns the team like a portfolio piece.
He did put a bid in on the Commanders.
Word is Snyder told him to take a flying leap because Bezos also owns The Washington Post, which has shone a lot of light on Snyder’s indiscretions.
Not saying he would not buy it. I think he’s first in line.
As down as some of us have been on Jody I don’t think Bezos is going to be some great steward of the team.
Rob,
Nice article and not unreasonable at all. I can make a case either way, with Geno as starter for this year or Lock as well. They will possibly draft a QB this year or next, so there is no pressure to make a hard decision on this either way for now. Geno definitely makes a nice bridge to have, but so does Lock with the right system.
Will Geno be the Seahawks QB in 2 years? No.
Will Geno ever lead this team past Mahomes? No.
Will this roster get adequately upgraded with Geno’’s cap hit? No.
Make the change.
Great stuff Rob.
To answer your last question; yes, a lot of fanbase are like this. That said, this fanbase is easily one of the worst, in this regard.
I saw screenshots of this article before I knew you posted it; and the common theme was “I genuinely hate Rob,” “Anti-Geno people don’t know ball!” It’s lame.
While the “Geno is awful crowd” is wrong; the “anything less than he is elite and the future crowd” is by far the most annoying, stupid segment of any fanbase that I can ever remember.
I’ve gotten in arguments with these people where I merely say, “I think Geno is a 12-16 QB whose age loses a real issue moving forward, especially when factoring where the roster stands.” They resulting comments can be summed up like the ending of a Texas Chainsaw Massacre where the villain mindlessly swings the chainsaw around in a fit of rage.
Geno is not even a good guy. What is the deal with people lighting their credibility on fire to protect him from “no he’s elite – you’re just stupid?”
It’s the weirdest phenomenon I’ve seen in awhile, in sports. I have my theories as to why but won’t go into it here because it ventures into political/philosophical areas because a great many of these people are very eager to call you racist for not agreeing with them.
Anyways, this is such a well thought out article and anybody who can’t handle a bevy of “what ifs” is just exposing themselves as a person who has the regulatory agency of a toddler.
It’s thier loss.
Who did this?
Let me try to find it – it’s nobody I follow. One of those random pop ups on the Twitter timeline.
The usual suspects jumped in but the handle wasn’t someone I recognized. If I see/find it – I’ll sent it to you.
I think I found it with a quick search. Classic really. Just block them and move on would be my advice, they have nothing to offer and probably live very sad little lives
We’ll talk about the off-season, the Seahawks and the draft. They can talk about SDB 😂
But why would I block a childless 60 year old woman who can tell me how I “don’t know ball” and that I’m a racist for not liking Geno???
Joking…the amount of muting I’ve done with “Seahawks Twitter,” is wild. If you’re not in the hive mind; you will be attacked.
Keep up the great work. It is very appreciated.
Will do 👍
I don’t worry about all that stuff. All these people who do this kind of thing spend their time reading my articles. I spend zero time reading anything they have to say. Figure that!
I can legitimately say I see as many all caps “geno sucks” comments as I do ” we are blessed to have him.”
I think the far extremes of both sides are fairly lost. If I had to guess I think it’s pretty likely that within two years Geno is a backup on another team and in under five he is retired. At the high end he’s got a playoff win in him and the low end its just what it is now when it’s all said and done.
In the end in the Seattle sports history books he will literally be just a person who played here. No more. No less.
I think the difference is the “Geno sucks” people are 10 follower accounts while the extreme opposite are those with big accounts. Subsequently, there’s a bandwagon effect because many of these people clearly have little to nothing in life outside of Twitter, which is why they get overly emotional about it.
This I totally agree with. Carter, pete,geno, etc,folks definitely want to be in the winning side so that means staking your claim with the team most likely to get you those little dopamine hits of a thumbs up.
I actually hate trying to articulate that I think Geno is average w/o it being a pejorative and then some all caps keyboard smasher comes in with geno suckkkkkks!!! Comment.
Now the spectrum is average to sucks is just one “team.”
Completely agree. It’s like I’ve tried to be reasonable and the most “generous” rebuttal I’ve received is that I “think I’m taking the nuanced middle position.”
Like…yes of course I am. And that’s an insult, how, exactly?
And the age thing…an entirely different convo as well. Amazed how many fans think that sitting an NFL bench means one doesn’t age. I asked, “have hospitals looked at installing NFL Benches for their older patients? Seems like a fascinating anti-aging breakthrough.”
“You know what I mean! He doesn’t have the wear and tear!”
Sure…he’s still in his mid-30s…whether people like it or not; physically men start to rapidly decline and of course, there are outliers. Im not basing the future of outliers, however.
The age angle is a doozy
Clearly a lot of people who aren’t in their mid-to-late 30’s or older who think not starting NFL games for 10 years means you don’t age 😂
When I think those of us in the age bracket know you definitely do, with or without years of starting activity
Haha it’s amazing.
Continually dumbfounded by this – like, it’s not some outlandish point; just look at rosters and ages! There’s a reason there aren’t many old guys in the league.
“Yea but the Kelce bros are old. Brady and Rodgers are/were old!”
Yes – let’s cherry pick the greatest TE, one of the best Cs, and 2 of the best QBs *of all time* to make a point about Geno + age. Brilliant.
“Well Geno’s game isn’t centered around physicality!”
Eh…I’d argue it is, like most players because he does rely on his arm and having enough juice to move (despite not being a runner). He’s not some processing savant like Brees and Matt Ryan. He’s in that weird middle ground where most NFL players fall off the proverbial cliff because while their physicality might not be elite; but it is absolutely what got them to the league and what they fall back on.
And this doesn’t even get to the “well the team is bad around him!” Ok…so we rebuild and hope to have a proper team by the time he’s 36-37? That’s the plan?
Geno Smith career sack%:7.6, 7.2 in SEA
Tom Brady: 4.5, 3.1 in TB.
Drew Brees: 3.8
Matt Ryan: 5.5
Aaron Rodgers: 6.5 (and often dealing with injury)
I really want the Geno dialogue to go away, so I’m hesitant to add any kindling to the bonfire.
QBs and Coaches are irrational topics for lots of people. Usually because they identify with the person in some respects they see themselves. That identity causes them to cast aside their lenses, they are defending themselves.
For me that person happened to be Marshawn Lynch, continues to be. I’m not rational about him. He is the best RB of all time, he was my favorite player in the league before the Seahawks traded for him, they could sign him today and I’d be fine with it, I want to believe Marshawn has more greatness in him.
I choose to own my irrationality, though.
Russell was a lot of things to people, so was Carroll.
Let’s talk abiut Geno:
I loved Geno at West Virginia, I thought the Seahawks should absolutely bring him in to compete with Wilson (remeber 2013), I was so loud that for nearly a decade my friends used to laugh regularly about me declaring that Smith should be the first pick and the Seahawks should figure out a way to trade up for him.
Then the Jets drafted him and did Jets things.
Geno Smith was Will Levis. Lots of people irrationally hated him. He reportedly interviewed poorly during the draft process and fell a round.
The people who love Geno today hated him I n 2013 – how do I know? I looked up their Levis takes.
What Geno represents to them today is a mirror of themselves. And a stronger mirror than Mahomes faith and excellence, or Purdy’s irrelevance. Geno didn’t write back.
As much as my career and business could be seen as several beastquakes strung together, how many feel like Geno? How many felt heralded then forgotten? How many people have felt written off in their lives?
They want to see Geno reach the summit, because they want to believe they will reach the summit.
They’ve lost their objectivity – Geno is emotional because when you say he isn’t good enough, they aren’t good enough; to old, they aren’t old. an asset to be traded? They are not an asset!
A reasonable disagreement could be had about whether Geno would fetch a 4th, or a second, or even first. The teams are just there: the Steelers, commanders, Bears, Vikings, Falcons, saints, even the Panthers or Broncos may have interest.
this is why the ‘ain’t gonna happen’ crowd increasingly sound like the same chorus who said that about Carroll.
The logic for trading Smith if the value is there makes perfect sense. This isn’t trading Mahomes for 4 raspberries -Geno’a value is peaking.
I think you nailed a lot of it.
The one thing I can’t square is those that love themselves some Geno to the point where they are choking up about myers costing “a great qb, and a great man,” a win against the Rams during a post game podcast but then feel that Lock could not, would not ever be able to do what Geno does.
For me with a pretty pronounced ambivalence to both and in total agreement with Geoffu, and a few other posters your job is to always be chasing a great qb until you have one. I’m not sure why these folks are so unwilling to pour their feelings for Geno into Lock….it’s the same story.
Lock hasn’t spent his 40 days and nights in the desert yet
Great post LCH
You may or may not have a background in Psych but you’re insight is tops.
But did it survive?
I’m sadly not in the office today to find out 😂
But I will let you know tomorrow!
So that’s why I don’t see you wearing it on Google Earth.
We are in such an exciting time to be a Hawks fan. How much breath will we waste complaining about other fans for having their takes? There will always be people who will defend their team/status quo/front office no matter what. And there will always be people who think the team sucks and criticize the front office relentlessly even when the team is winning. Ignore them and move on.
I think embracing that, though, just means the problem festers. This fan base has gone to battle with itself too often and I don’t think it’s good for anyone. Maybe it’s impossible to change that but I still think it’s worth a try
Geno certainly is a decent starting Quarterback. Credit to him for turning his career around to be selected to a few Pro Bowls.
However, it has been reported that he is not a leader in this team. When DK gets all hot-headed, shouldn’t Geno be the one who tells him to call the F down? I also haven’t forgotten about the ugly DUI Investigation.
I just don’t think that after two years of being an average level starting Quarterback, that Geno Smith has earned either the seemingly undying adulation or extreme hatred from some fans.
Geno’s DUI charge was horseshit. His blood alcohol and THC levels came back so far under the legal limit and the case was dismissed. I take the allegations in the police report of aggressive behavior towards police with a huge grain of salt. In my experience when cops claim someone was “aggressive” that often means they are just projecting/making excuses for their own aggression or upset that someone would dare challenge their competence. I’m a criminal defense attorney. I use Geno’s case in jury selection all the time as a classic example of a loud, lazy rush to convict someone in the court of public opinion that quietly fizzles out when the actual facts come to light.
Yeah – basically agree w the sentiment. Geno gave us this hope his first year with some truly excellent caliber QB play – making the kinds of chunk play throws that the best QB’s make. And it was such a windfall, such a great though to think that we somehow had a QB post-Russ, plus we had all those RW-generated picks to play with. And that hope was sort of hard to let go of – b/c we all know how hard it is to find your QB.
Unfortunately, this season happened – and there were just too many moments where you couldn’t be objective and still say he was the guy. To me, it doesn’t matter all that much whether it’s Geno or Drew this year – probably, Geno is worth a couple wins more, but again, that difference doesn’t do anything meaningful for us.
Because our pick is just a bit too low this year – and there are so many QB-needy teams picking before us – it’s hard for me to escape the conclusion that this is the year to take our lumps, implement a new scheme and personnel, probably slog our way to a 5-6 win season and get a higher pick next year that lands our next QB.
All, I think there’s a middle ground too. I LOVE Rob’s posts and couldn’t be more thankful and appreciative for his time and all his efforts for us. There’s a reason SDB is my main source and the only Seahawks blog that I visit (I’m not on Twitter, etc.).
Rob deserves a regular segment on 710 or 950 and I agree with 90% of his posts. From time to time I disagree with a point or two, or have an alternative view or take, which is completely fine, normal and health. Plenty of other commenters here fit into this camp as well.
With all that’s going on in this world, I think it’s important to note that many of us are more alike than different and contribute to a healthy dialogue.
We don’t have to fall into extremes – over football. We’re here because we commonly want the best for the Seahawks and hopefully, enjoy each other’s thoughts.
Thanks for all that you do, Rob!
Might have some good news here soon…
In the meantime, I’ll be on KJR at 11am on Friday
🤞🤞🤞
I love how the “I hate rob,” crowd is not helped one iota by our captain probably getting more air time on kjr.
When they (kjr) themselves say the board, texts, light up when he’s on.
So to be clear, if Seattle doesn’t cut Geno by Friday of this week, the only two options are to trade him or keep him?
If that’s the case, that’s a serious gamble to take unless you are 100% sure there’s going to be a taker for Geno.
If the expectation is that Geno is worth a 4th, is it really worth the risk of not being able to trade him?
That’s a good question
It might mean they have to put the feelers out this week to gauge trade interest, just to understand the full picture. Unless they just intend to re-work his deal
If they have to rework his deal because of no takers for Geno, then that really debunks the idea that Geno is a “good value”. If the league doesn’t value him then what value does he really have?
Another good point
I would almost rather just cut him before the 16th and take the cap savings than be stuck with Geno that noone is willing to trade for.
Exactly.
A lot of the pro-Geno crowd were also pro-massive-Geno-contract.
When he signed a ridiculously team-friendly deal, that dried up and blew into the wind.
But the obsession remains.
JS has had his share of mistakes, but I don’t think we can dispute that having the pulse of the league is easily one of his strong suits.
At the end of the day; Geno is going to provide most teams with average starting QB play and the mere existence of middling teams with coaches closing in on the hot seat tells me that trading Geno won’t be all that difficult. While it might not garner huge return, he’s still a firmly average-above starting QB.
For that reason, I think JS is happy to “take a chance” and I’m sure IF the trade route is what they want to do – he absolutely has to be at peace that the return could be paltry.
But again, I think we all know a Geno trade would be about saving $ and moving into the future. A draft pick is gravy and whether it’s a 3rd or a 6th – that’s better than outright cutting with nothing in return.
That’s about the lot of it. Allowing a $12.7m guarantee to kick in and then cutting him is poor negligent management.
Slight, slight, slight chance: Mike Florio hinted that Geno’s contract has offsets. I asked him about it and I never got it stone-lock confirmed.
But there probably would not be a ton of savings of the $12,7m though.
would keeping him past friday and guaranteeing the $12.7 M make him more attractive for trading though?
No. It’s just the only viable option if they want to trade him.
This article says it all Rob.
So much so, I ain’t need to write back.
🤣😂🤣😂
Ok, as they say, you “win” the internet today!
Thanks for the laugh.
Ok, first thing I slightly dislike about MM. Of course, I’m kidding and it’s nothing, but did he really have to go that route? Really? 🤦🏼♂️
I hope our British friends can just smile through their teeth and have fun with it. Maybe it’s because I’ve lived abroad for a long time, but attempts at jokes like these still just make me roll my eyes and feel ever so slightly less “proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m… uncultured but think my way is the only way in the world anyways.” Oh well. 🤷♂️
I am a little confused why Americans find our accents so amusing 😂
I have to strain to keep my eyes in my head when you’re on for a 5-minute segment and “hey lets spend 45 seconds because yU tAwK fUnNee”
Don’t worry, you guys aren’t special 🙂 It’s pretty much all accents, even those within the US. Minnesota, Boston, the south, etc. all get tons of jokes about how funny they sound. Hell, the big joke of the movie Fargo was how they all talked funny.
The U.S. is a bastion of provincialism. People who grew up on the West Coast (like I did) make fun of Texan or Mississippian accents, and don’t get name started on Bostonians or those from New Jersey. Heck, even Minnesotans can take a beating… Listening and ENJOYING different accents is not our forte. It’s strange, innit?
What about trading Geno to the Raiders for a pick swap? They could use a veteran QB and give O’Connell another year to sit and learn. They basically have a rookie head coach who is going to want to win some games this year to prove he belongs. They have a good/great defense along with a decent running game and some weapons on offense – Geno would be a good fit there.
So what would be the trade value of moving up from 16 to the Raiders pick at 13? That could get JS in a better position to move up even further to target a QB…
They have a $28 million – sized wart on their roster. Doctors call it Jimmus Garoppolis Syndrome.
If I were the Raiders, I’d be looking at a Brock Osweiler deal.
Trade Jimmy to a team and include a pick for pick swap so the team can cut him and take the dead cap hit.
Haha, I forgot about him – I sort of thought he had already been cut. What a horrible signing and contract for them…
Let me say this about Geno. Geno Smith is an above average QB. I think we can all agree that Geno Smith is above average. But the question is: how far can Geno take you? Can he take you to the big dance and win. Is your goal to be 9-8 or 10-7. Or maybe if everything falls right you go 11-6. If that is your the Geno Smith is your man. I think Geno Smith is above average. When Geno is good he is really good. But he does struggle at times. Take that Cincinnati game. The defense played really well. But Geno couldn’t close the deal.
GM + New HC = we need our QBOF to round out the trio. Time to move on from Geno and wish him well on his way out.
Joel Klatt with a decently reasoned mock until…
He mocked mccarthy #16. This is not a mccarthy post. It’s about Klatt’s reasoning which was not entirely unsound.
It’s that he kept saying repeatedly: macdonald wants this, macdonald wants that.
Does anyone here think John is letting a defensive minded coach who spent almost no time with mccarthy when he wasn’t playing pick the qbotf unless…John loves him?
Bingo. Corbin used the same logic to sell the idea that we wouldn’t go QB early because MM would take one of the “great defensive options” available at #16.
Because apparently MM is running the draft already
We all knew this was going to happen. McCarthy and Penix will be linked to us repeatedly from here on out because of Macdonald and Grubb. Speaking of, that might make a good name for a bar/resturant. The Macdonald and Grubb Eatery.
Great name for a pub.
I would hope every coach is passionate about coaching and has types they like. One of a GM’s roles is to stitch all that together with who is available and how to form a team.
What if and this may blow some minds…you can’t draft everyone you coached or maybe more of an earth shattering revelation the players you coached in college are just a tiny amount of the total pool and you have to coach who you can get and who wants to stay at your program…..
It very well could come down to McCarthy or Penix.
If the Hawks did take Penix I have three messages for the Seahawks.
1). Protect Penix
2). Protect Penix
3). Protect Penix
The Cincinnati Bengals took Joe Burrows and so far they have not been able to protect him. They have left him out to dry. Twice he has NOT finished the season. Burrows is taking a pounding. Publicly he has not complained about. But he has taking a pounding.
Andrew Luck’s career was shortened for that very reason. They couldn’t protect him. IMO the three best QBs to come out of college that last 20 years have been Luck/Burrows/Mahomes. With honorable mention to Josh Allen. Andrew Luck’s career was short. So far Burrows has not finished two seasons. So if the Hawks take Penix they better find a way to protect him. Or he will have a short career
Not “The Husky Wolverine” ?
😅
I like it, and why not both? Draft Penix/McCarthy at 16 and McCarthy/Penix at 78, then training camp becomes the Thunderdome.
Probably should spend a future first to get to 15 and just take them back to back.
Have them wear a long trench coat and sit on each other’s shoulders…penix with the arm, mccarthy with the mobility?
Hey, I don’t care how it happens, as long as it involves a thunderdome I’m all in.
Those are easy connections when you need to spit out a 32-team mock because your editor is breathing down your neck. McCarthy? Michigan. Macdonald? Michigan! Ding! Onto the next team.
How many USCers did Pete bring with him to Seattle? Lendale White and he lasted what, 10 days?
I looked and could only find Malcolm smith where there could have even been a connection from coach to draft via Pete and USC.
Lawrence Jackson
Drafted by Ruskell
I meant more that Pete looked at him and said “pass”
Taylor Mays was the first to come to my mind for the same reason.
Klatt was asked by Salk if McCarthy can deliver the 3rd and long pass. Klatt laughed and said “did you see the Ohio State game? Of course.” So I went back and watched every pass by McCarthy. They were awful. Few 3rd down conversions.
McCarthy has a lot to prove. He’s a 3/4th rounder to me.
Well stated. I have debated with several other Seahawks fans over the past week about Geno. I like Geno, I think he has outperformed who I thought he was coming into 2022. I think he is a well above average QB in the league. However, when you take emotion out of it, I think you said it best ” is he ~27mil better than Lock”? I don’t believe so. I think he is better than Lock but does that equal ~1 win/loss. I’m not so sure. I believe that Schneider is itching to finally take a QB high in the draft, that could even mean trading a couple 1st round picks away to move up. I also believe that words matter, and reading the words out of MM during recent interviews gives one pause that he seems to mention Lock first in those interviews before Geno. I do see a Seahawks team with a cut Geno, a signed Lock and a first round drafted QB.
Those articles are so well thought-out and well writen, thanks Rob you’re spoiling us as Hawks fan. As the team just hired a new coaching staff I would think it’s the perfect time to make a transition a get rid of bloated contracts and get rid of costly players who won’t be there in 3-4 years when the Seahawks could realistically compete in the SB (if they get there). Geno, even if he’s okay as a QB, isn’t the answer and won’t be part of the future, it would make sense to try to trade him, however small the compensation.
I would honestly consider this year 1 of the rebuild if I was Schneider and MacDonald, and consequently I would trim the fat off the roster (Adams, Diggs, Dissly, Wagner, Lockett and others) and risk having a bad year. Then you can focus on building the edges of the roster with guys the new coach will love and draft the players that fit the system. But there is definitely a need for a purge for the Seahawks.
The discussions around Geno are missing a component that many seem to not understand. The issue isn’t if he’s a top 10 player or top 15; The issue is he is 34 and the hawks aren’t going to be a threat in the next several years. If the hawks were primed to be a legitimate playoff contender immediately then those arguments would be valid. Geno has proven himself at the least to be a top 15 QB. But all you have to do is look at what JS has done…….extremely young and inexperienced coaching staff and the new head coach got a 6 yr deal. This all points to the Seahawks not focused on trying to be 9-8 or 10-7 next year or even the year after. You have a 36 yr old HC. An OC that has only coached at the collegiate level. Brand new installs on both the defensive and offensive side and the normal learning curve for new, young, first time coaches. Just that alone is good for a couple of losses. Running , coaching, organizing NFL billion dollar enterprises is a tough, complex business. Pete Carroll’s stability was probably worth a couple wins a year just on its own.
These coaching hires are exciting and we all have high hopes. But it isn’t just going to magically appear in a year or two. It’s why McDonald wanted a 6 yr deal is my assumption. He’s going to clean house and restart. All the people pounding the drum to get the “big reset” your going to get it!
The timing is not right for Geno and the hawks. It’s not whether he is the 10th best or 15th best QB.
They will trade or cut Geno; they won’t make much effort to re sign Leonard Williams; Lockett, Adam’s, Diggs, Dissly, Mone, Bellore, are all gone is my guess as well.
They will resign Lock, and draft a QB
People need to get their expectations in line with reality and think 2026 and 2027, at the earliest, to compete to deeper levels in the playoffs.
I disagree on one thing
I think they will push to re-sign Leonard Williams
At the start of a new era you do need some veteran leadership and quality and he provides plenty of both
Don’t totally disagree with that. And with all the other cuts they will have room for Williams if they can come to agreement. I could see Macdonald not caring much about Geno, but really wanting Williams to anchor the defense with veteran leadership
I’ll be on KJR on Friday morning at 11am FYI
I think it’s important to Schneider and Mac to be competitive out of the gate. Both have worked hard for this chance and aren’t going to punt on the season even if the goal is to develop a QB.
The marginal cost of keeping Geno is $14m less whatever you’d pay his replacement. That’s a bargain to lock in league average play at QB. I think a third or fourth rounder, which have significant surplus value, could persuade the Seahawks to move off Geno. Schefter’s tweet is a sign that they’re open for business. But I think the team has compelling reasons to keep him around also.