Huard: How should Seahawks handle possible Geno Smith extension?

One of the best feel-good stories in the NFL this season has been the play of Geno Smith as the Seahawks’ starting quarterback.

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After serving as a backup for the last seven years, Smith re-signed with the Seahawks and has started all five of their games this year. And so far, he’s been stellar.

Smith leads the league in completion percentage at 75.2% and has 10 total touchdowns to two turnovers while averaging 261 passing yards per game.

His former teammate, retired NFL linebacker K.J. Wright, thinks Smith’s play is deserving of a new contract.

K.J. Wright: Seahawks QB Geno Smith playing good enough for deal

“Just take a look at him. You know what good quarterbacks look like, and you know what bad quarterbacks look like. Geno is playing some really good football,” Wright said during his radio show on Seattle Sports 710 AM this Wednesday. “Intellectually he is on point. He’s making checks at the line of scrimmage … Beautiful arm, his teammates love him, his teammates respect him. Get it done now.”

So should the Seahawks in fact get that deal done now? That’s a question Mike Salk had for former NFL quarterback Brock Huard on the next day on Brock and Salk.

“Done now, like Week 6? No,” Huard said.

But Huard thinks a December deal would make sense, and that’s a timeline the Seahawks have done with some deals, including Wright.

Huard thinks Smith needs to show the team a bit more before talks start, though.

“Give me the rest of October and into early November. Then maybe make that phone call,” he said.

Right now, Smith is the “best value” in the NFL, Huard said.

“He’s the best value, bang for your buck right now.”

Smith is making a base salary of $1.26 million with bonuses for each game started, and he already received a $500,000 signing bonus, per Spotrac. His yearly cash is $3.5 million. Early reports of his signing said the deal was for a maximum $7 million this season.

So what does Huard think the Seahawks should pay Smith assuming he keeps up his high level of play?

“Two years, $30 million deal (with) $20 million guaranteed. Give Geno significant money, but do a deal where it doesn’t hamper you from drafting somebody in the top 10 if there’s someone that you love,” he said.

The Seahawks have two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, and with both Seattle and the Denver Broncos at 2-3 through Week 5, the Seahawks would have two picks in the first half of the first round.

Many assumed Smith would be a bridge to the Seahawks’ quarterback of the future, and Huard thinks a new deal for Smith wouldn’t get in the way of that. Plus, the Seahawks have scouted many of the NFL’s top young quarterbacks even when Russell Wilson was on the roster.

“If we remember (Seahawks general manager) John Schneider, he looked at Josh Allen when he had Russell. He looked at (Patrick) Mahomes when he had Russell. That does not, it should not and will not preclude you from finding your next quarterback,” Huard said of Smith getting an extension. “And if you believe it’s a generational guy like those guys, then go draft him in the top 10, and a two-year, $30 million deal for Geno won’t get in the way of that. I’m starting those conversations in-house. And if he keeps playing like this, I’m doing that deal in December.”

Listen to the full discussion in the podcast from Thursday’s Brock and Salk at this link or in the player below.

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