Huard: Why Seahawks’ ‘home run’ Geno deal now a ‘grand slam’
Sep 4, 2023, 2:53 PM
Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith talks with coach Pete Carroll during a game against the Jets. (Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
(Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks are finally gearing up for Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season, but college football has already started. Based on the first full week of FBS action, Brock Huard is feeling even better about the biggest move of the Hawks’ offseason.
UW Huskies’ Michael Penix Jr. has Huard, Bumpus raving already
That move: Seattle signing quarterback Geno Smith to a unique three-year contract extension. The deal is loaded with incentives for Smith based on his performance, but it’s also team-friendly in the fact that the Seahawks can get out of it after every season.
Huard, who is a college football analyst for FOX in addition to his daily Seattle Sports gig on Brock and Salk, was asked Monday by Mike Salk how the deal with Smith looks almost six months later.
“It’s a home run. Actually, it’s a grand slam,” Huard said. “It was a home run when he signed it last March when the details came out… Remember, it’s a year-by-year deal. It’s a bet on yourself, year-by-year deal where his numbers have to escalate for him to make more money. And the Seahawks can, if they want to, get out of it after Year 1.”
Why is that so important? Because of the play being seen at the quarterback position in college football, which Huard said is a step above the 2023 NFL Draft class. The Seahawks opted not to draft a QB this year despite owning two picks in the first round and four combined in the first two rounds, and the upcoming class may have something to do with it.
“I think last year, the Seahawks were not sold on that QB class, probably because they had an eye to 2024,” Huard said. “If 2023 had three (QBs) in the top five, 2024 will, as well. But beyond that, the next guy is not going to be Will Levis. This is going to be an absolutely loaded, crazy ’24 draft class when it comes to quarterbacks.
“You saw one of them last night in (Florida State’s) Jordan Travis, you saw (North Carolina’s) Drake Maye, you saw (USC’s) Caleb Williams. I mean, all over the country – (Washington’s) Michael Penix, (Oregon’s) Bo Nix. This is going to be, I’m talking 10 deep. We’ll see it sort out and certainly guys will level off over the course of the season, but we’re going to be talking about this college football season, 10 dudes (at quarterback) that have a legitimate shot to play in the NFL. That hasn’t happened in some time.”
Listen to Huard’s full thoughts in the Blue 88 segment from Monday’s edition of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post.
More on the Seattle Seahawks
• Rost: Seahawks strengths and weaknesses on offense, defense
• K.J. Wright: Why Jamal Adams can make Seahawks a Super Bowl contender
• ESPN’s Orlovsky: Where do Geno and Seattle Seahawks fit in NFC picture?
