Seattle Seahawks expect to sign Geno Smith to new contract

The Seattle Seahawks plan to bring quarterback Geno Smith back next season, according to general manager John Schneider. Asked Wednesday whether the team plans to re-sign Smith, Schneider gave a clear answer.

“Yeah, we do,” he said.

Smith has been with Seattle for the past three years and will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He served as a backup to Russell Wilson in both 2020 and 2021 before taking over the starting job in 2022 after Wilson was traded to the Broncos.

Expectations were somewhat tempered for the Seahawks entering 2022, but Geno Smith still quarterbacked them to a 9-8 finish and playoff appearance, where they lost in the Wild Card to the 49ers. Smith had his best season as a pro, setting career highs with 4,282 yards passing and 30 touchdowns. He also led the NFL in completion percentage (69.8%) and threw just 11 interceptions.

Smith’s play this season earned him his first Pro Bowl selection, and he is a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year. Schneider added that he would like to start negotiations on a new contract for Smith “soon.”

A former second-round pick out of West Virginia, Smith is preparing to enter his 11th season in the NFL. He has had an up-and-down journey, spending the first two years of his career as the starting quarterback for the New York Jets.

Smith struggled in those two seasons, throwing a combined 25 touchdowns to 34 interceptions. He suffered an injury ahead of the 2015 season and played in only one game. He later moved on from the Jets, serving as a backup quarterback for the Giants, Chargers and eventually Seahawks.

With Smith set to turn 33 in October, it will be interesting to see how many years he has left in the tank. However, he proved what he was capable of in 2022 and will hope to maintain the Seahawks starting job going into next season.