When the Seattle Seahawks traded franchise quarterback Russell Wilson nearly two years ago, many assumed they had started to rebuild and had gone out of the business of being competitive.
They were left with Drew Lock and Geno Smith, both of whom were thought of as nothing more than backups, to compete for the starting quarterback spot, a spot that Smith won.
But Smith had a remarkable 2022 campaign, and the Seahawks managed to make the playoffs.
In order to create flexibility for this offseason, they have reportedly restructured Smith’s contract, per Field Yates.
The Seahawks have restructured the contract of QB Geno Smith, converting his $9.6M roster bonus into a signing bonus and creating $4.8M in 2024 cap space, per source.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 22, 2024
Not much was expected of Smith when the 2022 campaign began, but he instead exceeded all expectations.
He led the NFL with a 69.8 percent completion rate and threw for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns, which earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl and the Comeback Player of the Year award.
His numbers dipped a bit this season, but he was still named to the Pro Bowl for a second straight time.
Smith has two solid wide receivers in D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, as well as a reliable running back in Kenneth Walker III.
But Seattle’s defense has plenty of promise thanks to Devon Witherspoon, a rookie cornerback who made the Pro Bowl in 2023 and young safety Julian Love, who also made the Pro Bowl this season.
Perhaps expecting the team to win a playoff game or two next season is too much, but they should still be very competitive, as Smith has proven himself worthy of being at the helm of it’s offense.
NEXT: Seahawks Are Adding A New Coach To Defensive Staff