Tag: Geno Smith

Dec 4, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and quarterback Drew Lock (2) take the field before playing against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks agree to re-sign backup QB Drew Lock

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Seattle Seahawks secured their backup quarterback on Thursday, agreeing to re-sign Drew Lock to a one-year deal.

NFL Media reported that Lock’s new contract will be worth $4 million in 2022, with incentives that could lift it to $7.5 million for next season.

General manager John Schneider later verified the news on his Seattle radio show.

Ten days ago the team reached an agreement with their QB1 from last season, veteran Geno Smith, who is back on a three-year, $75 million deal after his surprising Pro Bowl campaign in 2022.

Lock, 26, was acquired from the Denver Broncos in last offseason’s blockbuster trade involving Seahawks all-time passing leader, Russell Wilson. Lock battled Smith for Seattle’s top QB spot through the summer, but Smith won the job and took every snap at the position.

Lock’s only action with the Seahawks on the field was last summer when he went 24 of 39 for 273 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in the preseason.

A second-round pick in 2019 out of Missouri, Lock showed promise by going 4-1 in five rookie starts for Denver, throwing seven touchdown passes while getting intercepted just three times. However, he lost 12 of his 16 starts over the following two seasons as his play was marked by inconsistency. He threw 15 passes picks in 2020, tied with Carson Wentz for most in the league.

In 24 career games, Lock is 8-13 as a starter and has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 4,740 yards with 25 TDs and 20 interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Aug 26, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll (right) congratulates quarterback Geno Smith (7) as he comes off the field in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

GM, coach laud Geno Smith’s self belief behind career year

Posted on | by Field Level Media

With a new three-year, $105 million contract in tow, Geno Smith was celebrated as the quarterback of the present for the Seattle Seahawks.

In a press conference at team headquarters Thursday, Smith was showered with appreciation from the Seahawks for his commitment to the franchise and belief in himself. Smith stepped into a starting role, which was never truly contested by Drew Lock, after the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos last March.

The 32-year-old Smith delivered while making $3.5 million last season, guiding the Seahawks to a wildcard playoff spot, earning a Pro Bowl nod and now cashing in with a contract that could pay him 30 times his 2022 rate.

“There were a lot of years when Geno just had to sit there, waiting,” head coach Pete Carroll said, seated to Smith’s right and opposite general manager John Schneider at a press conference Thursday afternoon. “The story that has been unveiled about believing in yourself and confidence and trust and never giving up is just a vivid illustration of Geno. He always knew. He always knew he could do this. When it happened, the opportunity was there, and you handled it so flawlessly.”

Carroll said Smith approached the Seahawks about a team-friendly deal that ties more than $30 million to incentives and performance bonuses. Carroll said he wasn’t surprised to hear Smith say his concern was leaving the team room to build a championship team around him.

“I believe in team first,” Smith said Thursday.

Smith was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2022. He was a backup for seven seasons with four different teams and all but discounted as a serious option to be Seattle’s starter for even one season. He set franchise single-season records for passing yards (4,282), completions (399), completion percentage (69.8) and pass attempts (572), breaking three previous Wilson records.

“I know you know this, but what an inspiration you’ve been to men, women, young, old, all around the country,” Schneider said. “Lessons about faith, perseverance, work ethic. Being a good person, man. Watching you last year was awesome, and I know you’re super-excited about the future. So thank you to you.”

Last week, Schneider said at the NFL Scouting Combine the Seahawks are digging deep into the quarterbacks in the 2023 draft, and Carroll called the No. 5 pick — part of the return from the trade return from the Broncos for Wilson — a “rare opportunity.”

Schneider, raised in the Green Bay scouting department where quarterback insurance was a top priority, nodded and smiled when asked if Seattle could keep Smith and spend a high pick on a quarterback in the 2023 draft.

“They don’t grow on trees,” he said.

–Field Level Media

Jan 14, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) makes a throw in the second quarter of a wild card game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Seahawks, QB Geno Smith agree to 3-year, $105M deal

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Seattle Seahawks are bringing back quarterback Geno Smith on a three-year contract worth $105 million, several outlets reported Monday.

The 32-year-old was set to hit unrestricted free agency after the first Pro Bowl season of his nine-year NFL career. Instead, he will remain in Seattle and average $35 million per year. The deal will include $52 million in the first year, ESPN reported.

Smith was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year after taking charge of the Seahawks’ offense in the first year following the Russell Wilson era and guiding them to a wild-card playoff berth.

After serving as Wilson’s backup from 2019-21, Smith beat out Drew Lock for the job in the preseason and proceeded to start all 17 games, his first year as a full-time starter since his first two NFL campaigns with the New York Jets.

The veteran led the NFL in completion percentage at 69.8 percent and passed for career highs of 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns along with 11 interceptions. He added 366 rushing yards and one score.

The Seahawks were clear about wanting to re-sign Smith, but Seattle coach Pete Carroll also said during the scouting combine in Indianapolis that the Seahawks are “totally connected” to the quarterbacks in the 2023 draft class. The team has the fifth pick in the draft and five selections in the top 83.

Carroll said keeping Smith and drafting a quarterback is a “definite” possibility.

In 10 NFL seasons with the Jets (2013-16), New York Giants (2017), Los Angeles Chargers (2018) and Seahawks, Smith has thrown for 11,199 yards, 64 touchdowns and 48 interceptions with a 62.8 completion percentage. He has added 1,067 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Jul 25, 2019; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, right, talks with general manager John Schneider during training camp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Carroll: Seahawks ‘deeply involved’ with top QB prospects

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Don’t rule out the Seattle Seahawks making a move for a top quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Even if the team is able to re-sign free agent quarterback Geno Smith as planned, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said he and general manager John Schneider are diving headlong into the 2023 QB draft class.

“We are totally connected to the quarterbacks that are coming out,” said Carroll. “This is a really huge opportunity for us. It’s a rare opportunity for us. We’ve been drafting in the low 20s for such a long time, you just don’t get the chance for these guys. So we’re deeply involved with all of them.”

The Seahawks are discussing a multi-year contract with Smith, Carroll said. The 2022 Pro Bowl selection handled last season “impeccably,” Carroll said Tuesday.

“We are working hard to keep it going,” he said.

Carroll said there a “number of guys in the past” who were put on the shelf for awhile only to get another chance.

“It’s a message for us,” Carroll said of Smith. “There’s other guys that can do the same thing. … Maybe we have given up on guys too soon. Some of that is themselves. They have to maintain the belief in themselves. Geno is a remarkable illustration of that. He never wavered. He expected to win the job. He expected to be successful. He expected to be where he is right now.”

Seattle has the fifth pick in the draft and five selections in the top 85. The No. 5 pick is Seattle’s highest draft choice since 2009 as return for trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos. Seattle also has the 37th pick from Denver.

Carroll said keeping Smith and drafting a quarterback is a “definite” possibility.

Field Level Media ranks three quarterbacks among the top seven prospects in the 2023 draft.

–Field Level Media

Aug 26, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll (right) congratulates quarterback Geno Smith (7) as he comes off the field in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Geno Smith wins Seahawks’ QB competition

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Two days after saying he was in no hurry to decide on the Seahawks’ starting quarterback, Seattle coach Pete Carroll announced his decision on Friday, going with Geno Smith rather than Drew Lock.

The official word came after the Seahawks lost 27-26 to the Dallas Cowboys on Friday in Arlington, Texas, in their preseason finale.

However, the choice appeared to have been made in advance, as Smith received the starter’s treatment in the contest. He played only the first offensive series, leading the Seahawks to a field goal while completing half of his six passes for 43 yards.

Carroll noted that Lock saw his chances of winning the starting role diminish when he missed part of the preseason after testing positive for COVID-19.

“He’s going to start the opener, and he’s earned it, he’s won the job,” Carroll said of Smith. “With the timeframes, it got messed up for us for Drew, he just ran out of time in making his bid for it. And so yeah, I’m cool about that, so I just want to let you know, so everybody knows, so you don’t have to ask me about it anymore.

Lock completed 13 of 24 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown on Friday but was intercepted three times.

“Drew’s going to keep on battling because he can play, and he’s got all kinds of stuff in him, and I want him to be ready at a moment’s call,” Carroll said. “And he’s going to keep growing and pushing and developing as a fantastic player and I have no problem playing with him, too.

“So, we’re fortunate to have two guys who can go, and when he comes off the bench, if he gets his chance he’ll be ready to go and try to light it up.”

Smith said, “I’m thankful for the opportunity and grateful, but I have a lot of work ahead of me. That was my mindset from the start is getting ready to go out there and win games.”

Lock said, “As a competitor, you’re always disappointed and I was disappointed. You want to be out there, you want to play with those guys. … It’s my job to have (Smith’s) back and be the best teammate I can be.”

Smith, 31, is entering his third season with the Seahawks after four years with the New York Jets and one year apiece with the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Chargers. He posted a 1-2 record as a starter last year, putting his career record at 13-21 in starts.

In 45 NFL games overall, Smith has a 58.8 percent completion rate to go with 6,917 passing yards, 34 touchdowns with 37 interceptions.

Lock, 25, joined the Seahawks in the March deal that shipped quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. He owns an 8-13 mark as an NFL starter to go with a 59.3 percent completion rate, 4,740 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in 24 games overall.

–Field Level Media

Jun 7, 2022; Renton, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and quarterback Drew Lock (2) return to the locker room following minicamp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll in no rush to select starting QB

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Geno Smith and Drew Lock are battling to become the Seattle Seahawks’ starting quarterback, and the competition could roll on for a while.

The team plans to use as much time as is needed to come up with the right decision, coach Pete Carroll said on Tuesday.

Carroll wouldn’t even commit to a starter for the Seahawks’ exhibition-season finale on Friday against the host Dallas Cowboys. He did confirm that Smith remains on top of the depth chart at the moment, but that’s due in part to Lock missing last week’s preseason game after testing positive for COVID-19.

“I’m wide open for whatever happens,” Carroll said. “Geno has been the guy in the lead position the whole time and protected that thought throughout. He’s done a really nice job, he’s been very consistent. So we’ll just see what happens. And there’s two more weeks of practice too after this. I had a set thought on what we would do with the timeline, but that got disrupted (with Lock testing positive for COVID), so we’re going to use all the time we need.”

The Seahawks have a day longer than most teams to prepare for the regular season as they open on the first Monday of the campaign, Sept. 12, against the Denver Broncos and former Seattle QB Russell Wilson.

“I’m not closing the book on anybody competing for their spots,” Carroll said. “We have two enormous weeks coming up. The finish of this one, next week is a huge week for us, then we come back with another full week, and an extra day. So we’ve got a lot of time here to work it out on my schedule.

“Maybe you’re not feeling that schedule, but on my schedule, I’m OK.”

Smith, 31, is entering his third season in Seattle after four years with the New York Jets and single seasons with the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Chargers. He went 1-2 as a starter last year, leaving his career record at 13-21 in starts.

In 45 NFL games overall, Smith has completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 6,917 yards and 34 touchdowns with 37 interceptions.

Lock, 25, arrived in the March trade that sent Wilson to Denver. He is 8-13 as an NFL starter with a 59.3 percent completion rate, 4,740 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in 24 games overall.

“I could go ahead and just call it, but I want to let the guys battle and let them show where they are and let us get as much information as possible,” Carroll said. “Geno’s done a really good job of being in that position. His voice is solid. He’s on point all the time. He’s been very consistent with his work all of that, and Drew has been really sharp.

“I know it’s not supposed to be a good situation when you have two quarterbacks. It means you don’t have one, is the old saying. I don’t know that. We might have two ones. We’ll see what happens.”

–Field Level Media

Jun 7, 2022; Renton, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) receives a shotgun snap in front of quarterback Drew Lock (2) during minicamp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Lock returns, Seahawks not rushing QB call

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks see Russell Wilson in Week 1, but the franchise has not yet decided on the starter who will replace the new quarterback of the Denver Broncos.

Since trading Wilson to Denver for Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and draft picks, the Seahawks have tested veteran Geno Smith and Lock in an ongoing competition to take the reins of the Seattle offense. The Broncos and Seahawks open in Seattle on “Monday Night Football” on Sept. 12.

“I’m going to take the time it takes to figure it out and make sure we have all the information that we need,” Carroll said. “I can’t wait to see what happens in this game. Geno’s done a good job and Geno needs a little more help from some guys — they got to be able to catch the football a little better — but he’s handled it well. You go back, Drew has had three drives and had two touchdown drives, so he’s put some stuff on the resume out there.

“So we’ll see what happens this week. And we do have really good weeks of practice coming up. This week is a great one, next week is a great one and the one after is a great one so we’ll use all of that if we need it.”

As of now, there is no clear winner of the duel, which was essentially paused while Lock battled COVID-19 for a week.

“He did OK today. He seemed to bounce back,” Carroll said of Lock returning to practice Sunday. “He’s six, seven days into it now, so he’s in good shape as far as getting back. But you never know until you get out there and start running around. He hung in there, tough, so that’s good.”

Carroll said he might share later in the week his plans for Friday’s preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys.

Smith had the opportunity to distance himself from Lock last week but suffered a bone bruise in his knee and exited a lopsided loss to the Chicago Bears.

Carroll said Smith is fine physically and both quarterbacks are available this week.

Wilson was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and played in two Super Bowls with the Seahawks before he was traded to Denver on March 8.

–Field Level Media

Aug 13, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2) throws a pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks QB Drew Lock (COVID) out after preseason starting nod

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, shortly after coach Pete Carroll told reporters that Lock would start the team’s next preseason game against the Chicago Bears.

Instead, Lock will miss Thursday’s game and Geno Smith will lead Seattle as the team’s quarterback competition heads into the home stretch.

Lock not only practiced Tuesday afternoon at Seahawks camp in Renton, Wash., but did so primarily with the first-string offense. Those reps were in part to prep Lock to start against the Bears.

“We had planned well back before the offseason even started to get to this game, the second game,” Carroll said after Tuesday’s practice. “Geno would be the starter in (the mock game) at Lumen and the opening (preseason) game, then we would go with Drew in the second game. We’re trying to follow that if we can.”

They won’t be able to follow that plan to completion now. The NFL stopped its COVID-19 protocol in March but still follows CDC guidelines that call for five days in isolation after a positive test.

The Seahawks received Lock as part of a massive package in the trade that sent Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos this offseason. Seattle did not draft a quarterback and stood pat with Geno Smith, last year’s No. 2, and Lock as the main candidates for the starting job.

Lock, Denver’s second-round pick in the 2019 draft, has completed 59.3 percent of his passes and thrown for 4,740 yards, 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in his career across 24 games (21 starts).

Despite Carroll’s original plan to give Lock first-team looks this week, he said he still viewed Smith as the No. 1 quarterback if the season began now.

“Geno’s still the No. 1 guy, he’s holding onto his spot at this point,” said Carroll, who also battled COVID-19 earlier in camp. “I really like what Drew has shown us. You look at his passer rating and some of the stuff he did (in the preseason opener), he did a great job. Both of our guys can play. That’s what we do know, they both can play.”

Lock completed 11 of 15 passes for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 32-25 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday.

–Field Level Media

Jun 7, 2022; Renton, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and quarterback Drew Lock (2) return to the locker room following minicamp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks QB showdown remains timeshare

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Geno Smith and Drew Lock are engaged in a quarterback competition to replace Russell Wilson as the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks.

One week into training camp, the battle in Seattle is too close to call.

Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said Smith did receive more reps with the first-team offense and operated red-zone drills on Tuesday, but the decision on the starting quarterback has only one deadline: “Denver.”

The Seahawks open the regular season in primetime against the Broncos, who have no such quarterback questions: Wilson is at the helm for new head coach Nathaniel Hackett in Denver.

“We do have a plan,” Waldron said. “And so we’re just going with our plan here, really evaluating those guys, evaluating everything they’re doing.”

Lock is the new quarterback in the room, acquired in the trade with the Broncos that sent Wilson to Denver. Smith re-signed with the Seahawks and previously served as Wilson’s backup.

“Right now, the way it has worked out, Geno has been a little bit more with the ones than Drew,” Waldron said. “But there is some mixing and matching going on, and we will continue to do that throughout camp and until the time that we make the decision.”

–Field Level Media

Mar 2, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Carroll: Seahawks not in market for QB

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Seattle Seahawks, seven weeks removed from the trade that sent quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, aren’t in the market for a veteran quarterback.

That was the message Thursday from Seahawks coach Pete Carroll while speaking to Seattle’s Sports Radio 950 KJR-AM.

“I don’t see us making a trade for anybody at all,” Carroll told the radio station, according to ESPN. “I don’t see that happening. But we’re certainly going to continue to be open to chances to help our club, and meanwhile we’re just going to be battling and competing our tails off. There’s always possibilities, so we keep open to that.”

Carroll had been asked specifically about Baker Mayfield, who lost his starting quarterback job in Cleveland when the Browns acquired Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans in mid-March.

The Seahawks’ current quarterback depth chart is topped by Drew Lock, who arrived in the Wilson deal, and Geno Smith.

Lock, 25, produced an 8-13 record as a starter while appearing in 24 games for Denver from 2019-21.

Smith, 31, went 1-2 as a starter for Seattle last year. He previously had a 12-18 mark as the New York Jets’ starter, and he lost his lone start for the New York Giants in 2017.

The Seahawks have two other quarterbacks on the roster: Jacob Eason, a 2020 fourth-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts who has yet to start an NFL game, and Levi Lewis, just signed as an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana.

Asked again by KJR about the Seahawks’ QB situation, Carroll said with a laugh, according to ESPN, “There’s no chance I’m going to tell you anything more than what I just told you, but I love you for trying. Honestly, we’re going to keep looking and seeing what’s available, but only to help our club and try to make us better. If the case presents itself, we’re going to be ready for it.”

Wilson, 33, was the Seahawks’ starter ever since he was drafted in 2012. He led the team to two Super Bowls, winning one, and made the Pro Bowl nine times.

–Field Level Media