Eugene Cyril Smith III has been a fan favorite ever since he took to the field against the rival Rams in relief of a hurt Russell Wilson. He damn near beat them boyz too, man (happy holidays)! That’s when the unforgettable mob roar started… that, “Geno-Geno-Geno”!!! G-Money claimed the starting job over Drew Lock after the vacuum that was created by the Wilson trade, then went on to sling the rock all over the yard that season. He bested Russell in an immediate matchup that brought all of the theatrics, then delivered an epic line post-performance. That first year as the Seahawks starting quarterback, Smith led the whole gosh durn rubba-thumpin’ league in completion percentage and was one of six QB’s to have a QB Rating over 100.
He came back for a very team-friendly contract with incentives in 2023, then again in 2024 for the first year without Pete Carroll as head coach in Seattle since 2010. His numbers have not been bad since, but his QB Rating has fallen each season: 100.9 in 2022, 92.1 in 2023, and 90.5 in 2024. The Seattle Seahawks have, so far, been a 9-win outfit each of those years. This year’s figure ranks him 19th in the NFL this year… that’s Derek Carr territory 😬.
You could blame some of this on the deterioration of the offensive line in Seattle: ranked bottom-5 in run-block win-rate (according to ESPN) and 2nd-worst in the league at allowing pressure (39.9% of drop backs). I think, however, the theme around Seattle over the last couple of years is frustration. Frustration at always being slightly better than average. Frustration at the same results over and over and over again. That consternated vibe carried Carroll out of the PNW and ushered in Mike Macdonald and his crew of cronies.
Mike Macdonald himself (partnered with John Schneider, no doubt) ha(ve)s been unafraid to let solid players go to seek the outstanding. Tyler Lockett got demoted, Stone Forsythe sat on IR, Zach Charbonnet finally got run, 6th and 7th round rookies (Sataoa Laumea and Michael Jerrell, respectively) were given a shot on the offensive line, Sam Howell was traded for, Darrell Taylor, Mike Jackson and Jerome Baker were all shipped out, Josh Jobe took Tre Brown’s job, Coby Bryant took Rayshawn Jenkins’ job, Riq Woolen was once again benched, and the Hawks’ leader in tackles (up until that point) in Tyrel Dodson was straight up cut. It’s a new era, and everyone has a shot to make some noise and prove something to the new head man. This isn’t just ho-hum try your best buds… every position will be evaluated.
I do believe that it is in the best interests of the team to bring back Geno Smith if you can get him on a relatively cheap contract. I mean, the man is 34 years old… a grandpappy in NFL eyes. Seattle already fired its offensive coordinator in Ryan Grubb, so a little continuity in another transition year couldn’t hurt. That’s also the reason I think the Hawks hire an experienced play caller this time around, but that may be an article for another day. Bring the offensive leader back at a figure that doesn’t break the bank, and if he can’t get it done, you have Sam Howell and hopefully some kind of draft pick as the contingency plans. You’ve got to believe all of the chemistry and good will Smith has banked in Seattle could lead him to offer a hometown discount at this point in his career as well. If the team around his is elite and cohesive next year, if he is not under constant siege in the pocket, he is a capable trigger man that knows his weapons.
Having that been said, let’s dive into the possible destinations that could beckon to Geno Smith, if the Seahawks ring of trust disagrees with me and wants to do a clean sweep. If Smith winds up parting with Seattle as a part of the next steps of the Mike Macdonald era (which Kenneth Arthur seems pretty convinced will happen), there should be demand for a capable passer. Maybe not from former teams in the Jets and Giants, but there will be a market for his services. Wherever he goes (especially be it in Seattle), I’ll wish him success.
In Alphabetical Order:
Carolina Panthers
- This is an absolute wild card to start with, but the QB coach for Geno during his breakout year is now the HC in Carolina. Smith could be very attracted to playing in a similar system that he found a lot of success in, proving that it’s his surroundings and not his age that’s responsible for regression. Los Panteras invested in the offensive line this past offseason, signing OG’s Robert Hunt and (former Seahawk teammate) Damien Lewis. Dave Canales know the value of this, as the team he just left his post as OC for (the Buccaneers) have the 4th-ranked line (according to PFN) going into Week 18. Think Smith disagrees with the Seattle GM’s stance on guards after this season of hell behind John’s joke of a line? This would also be the locale with the shakiest hold on the job, as Bryce Young has shown a bit of improvement late in the season.
Cleveland Browns
- What if there is a true competition with Deshaun Watson? Watson has been underreported as the worst trade of all-time… don’t give that to Russ! Watson has been bad, even despite Cleveland’s OL being 11th in pass block win rate, according to ESPN. Our guy G. would pray for line play that solid. The Browns chose the wrong guy, seeing Baker Mayfield (who they basically said wasn’t a grown up (lol)) advance to the playoffs with the Bucs once again. There are a couple of Seattle boys on the line there as well, and Cedric Tillman could come to life as a downfield threat once again. Divisional matchups against Russ, ladies and gentlemen?
Indianapolis Colts
- This one could make a lot of sense. Indy has a strong tradition of very good offensive line performance (something Geno should covet at this point in his career), stout defense and is chock-full with playmakers. Sounds like the kind of environment that Russell Wilson got at the start of his career! Ok, enough about him, this is #7 we are talking about. Anthony Richardson is physically astounding, but 38 out of 38 qualifying quarterbacks in QB Rating this year. That’s bad, and Shane Steichen is coaching for his job this year… Flacco ain’t gonna cut it.
New Orleans Saints
- Well, they’ve been disappointed by vets and rookies alike recently. Geno could step into the void as a bridge QB, for whoever the new coach might be. Taliese Fuaga was not selected by Seattle, but this would give him the chance to block for what is now an adopted son of the Emerald City. Many of the squads listed here are simply in rebuilding mode, most likely slightly behind where Seattle is on that cursed trek to respectability. He could make sense as a bridge starter in the bayou. Is that what you want Geno…?
Tennessee Titans
- The Titans finally benched the mayo man, Will Levis. There are a lot of similarities between the offenses and defenses of both Tennesse and Seattle, so the transition could be eased down in Cashville. The Seahawks even conducted joint practices with the Titans this past offseason, getting intimate with an opposing squad in a hostile environment. Coach Callahan brought his POPS in to help fortify the offensive trenches and may prefer a more traditional pocket passer than what he has in Levis.
You don’t want to go to these teams Geno, what can we do to make this thing work for one more year?!
It would be a treat to see Geno Smith back with a commiserate contract. We’ve seen him play at a high level, he can navigate pressure well, he is a respected leader and he’s still hungry. Worst case scenario, if Father Time has him in his clutches and his play sinks next year… maybe you roll with him until the wheels come off and put you in position to draft a young prospect. That or Sam Howell saves the day… J.J. McCarthy? Joe Milton??? One thing is for sure: Seattle won’t be able to properly evaluate the effectiveness of any quarterback until they fix the offensive trenches and blocking schemes.
