When people discuss and debate who the best quarterbacks in the NFL are today, certain names almost always come up.
Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers and of course Tom Brady seem to be the obligatory names in this category.
But according to Pro Football Focus, none of them have the highest grade outside of the pocket.
The man who does is someone whom many wouldn’t have guessed in a million years – Geno Smith, the starting QB of the Seattle Seahawks.
Highest-graded QB outside the pocket:
Geno Smith – 87.2 💰 pic.twitter.com/eKzynaH95Y
— PFF (@PFF) November 4, 2022
In fact, Smith is having a surprisingly strong year for a surprisingly good team.
Smith Has Blossomed Big Time
In his previous eight NFL seasons, Smith was considered by most to be little more than a solid backup QB.
He started almost every game during his first two seasons, which came with the New York Jets, and he threw more interceptions (34) than touchdown passes (25) while posting a very poor 71.5 passer rating.
Smith spent the past two seasons as Russell Wilson‘s backup in Seattle, and when they traded Wilson to the Denver Broncos, many expected Drew Lock, whom the team received in the Wilson deal, to start under center.
Instead, head coach Pete Carroll made the QB1 position an open competition, and Smith won it.
So far this year he has put up 2,199 passing yards, 15 touchdown passes, and just four interceptions for a robust 107.2 passer rating through nine games.
Not coincidentally, the Seahawks are 6-3 and in first place in the NFC West.
Who would’ve thought that not only they would’ve been in first place, but that Smith would be playing this well and leading the league in completion percentage?
If anyone would’ve said any of that in August, they would’ve been called crazy.
NEXT: 3 NFL Teams Who Disappointed On Sunday