When the Seattle Seahawks signed quarterback Geno Smith to a three-year contract worth $75 million before the 2023 season, there were some questions about whether or not it was a smart move. Smith had just one season as a starting quarterback in Seattle and it came after a journeyman career where he served as a backup with three different teams.
Was the contract going to be a smart one for the Seahawks after just one great season? It was tough to accurately project from the outside, especially with numerous “mid-range” quarterback contracts not working out. Seahawks general manager John Schneider was confident in Smith and he’s been proven right.
Our own Corbin Smith tried to determine quarterback value based on their stats and how much they are paid by building a metric with nine different statistical outputs, including passer rating and game-winning drives, and Smith was at the top of the list. He is way outperforming his contract and that will create a major topic of conversation in the 2025 offseason when it comes to a potential extension for the veteran quarterback and the Seahawks.
For now, Smith is a great value and he’s getting compared to top NFL Draft prospects. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah compared him to a potential first-round pick in Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
He reminds me of: Geno Smith coming out of West Virginia. Like Smith during his time with the Mountaineers, Sanders plays in a wide-open college offense that showcases his polish as a passer. Both Smith and Sanders have beautiful throwing motions and deliver a firm/catchable ball. While each is capable of taking the free yards presented in the run game, neither is dynamic as a ball-carrier.
Following a long, rocky start to this NFL career, Smith blossomed into a Pro Bowl quarterback. I see similar upside in Sanders. As my Move The Sticks Podcast partner Bucky Brooks would say, both of these signal-callers are more shooters than scorers. They are point guards who play really well within the confines of the play call; they aren’t unscripted, creative playmaker types. It’ll be important for Sanders’ NFL team to realize how to best utilize his skill set.
– NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah
The comparison about being shooters is a great one. Both Smith and Sanders aren’t afraid to take the necessary shot down the field and distribute the football to everyone on the outside. It took Smith some time to get adequate support so his ability could thrive. That should help Sanders get situated in the NFL, as they can look at Smith’s path to success as a guide from a roster-building and play calling standpoint.
The Seahawks have a steal in Smith and analysis from across the NFL media sphere makes it look better and better. Now the question remains: if he plays well again in 2024, will it be enough to cement another lurcrative contract with the team?
