When could we see a Seahawks extension with Geno Smith?

Feb 7, 2025, 10:28 AM

Host, Bump & Stacy (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

The Seattle Seahawks are in a bit of a pickle.

Like any team in football, they’d surely love to find a young face of the franchise – on a rookie deal, to boot (it worked out pretty well the last time they tried it). But they’re facing a few issues if that was the plan this offseason.

Seattle Sports’ John Schneider Show with Seahawks GM returns Feb. 13

First, this NFL Draft has a weaker quarterback class, and they have no shot at either of the top two QB prospects with their first pick at No. 18 overall. They could (and probably should) take a flier on a quarterback late, but would they trust him enough to hand him the reins by September?

There are a few free agent options, but none that would be cheaper (Sam Darnold will look to collect on a career season) nor more experienced (Zach Wilson and Trey Lance are young and intriguing former top-five picks who have yet to prove they can succeed as starters on any team they’ve been with). There are early rumors that Justin Fields is the likelier option to remain in Pittsburgh, and an expectation that a former veteran like Marcus Mariota could reunite with Chip Kelly, the new offensive coordinator for Pete Carroll’s Las Vegas Raiders.

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Why extend Geno Smith?

For some, incumbent starter Geno Smith isn’t a fun or inspiring option. But to one critic, he’s the best one out there.

“If Geno were to be on the trade market, he’s probably quarterback No. 1 for any of these teams that need a quarterback,” Pro Football Focus lead draft analyst Trevor Sikkema said Thursday in an interview with us on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.

“Whether it’s the guys that are supposed to hit free agency — Russell Wilson or Justin Fields or Sam Darnold, maybe Kirk Cousins — Geno Smith is at the top of the list. So, if there are some Seattle fans out there who wish they could move on from Geno Smith… he is, in my opinion, the best that is out there right now. To me, it’s much more a situation of really fortifying what he has around him. And I think you’re going to see good quarterback play from him going into next year.”

Video: Insider says Geno Smith is Seahawks’ best option in 2025

Asked what trait or stat makes Smith the best option, Sikkema cites his ability to make almost any throw.

“It gives you the ability to hit the throws that you need to in any given week to win this league,” Sikkema said. “And it’s just not a guarantee with a lot of these other guys. Take Russell Wilson, for example. Wilson didn’t turn the ball over a lot this season; he’s very risk-averse. He hit a couple good big-time throws down the stretch, but he doesn’t really have that in him. That’s not his identity right now. And I would say the same thing with Justin Fields.

“And for as much as Sam Darnold played really well this year, we kind of saw down the stretch that when you really need him to attempt a lot of those throws when his back is against the wall, especially under pressure, it’s hard for him to be able to do that. I think (Smith) has the ability to attempt some of the most difficult throws and the required throws you need to be some of the best quarterbacks in this league. The turnovers are frustrating, yes, but it’s the ceiling he brings.”

Geno with a DIME to Lockett to tie this game up!@Seahawks staying alive!

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/snUeLo2x1Z

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 8, 2023

Seattle has Smith under contract through 2025, but the incentive for Smith to get more guaranteed money in a longer deal and the incentive for Seattle to lower his $44.5 million cap hit next season make an extension far likelier than playing out the remainder of the deal.

When do Seattle Seahawks need to get deal done?

Should the Seahawks decide to extend Smith, a deal would need to get done before mid-March.

NFL salary cap analyst Joel Corry told us on Bump and Stacy that March 16 is an unofficial deadline because that’s when Smith’s $16 million roster bonus will kick in. Corry didn’t expect Smith to be one of the league’s top-paid passers with an average annual value exceeding $50 million, but a deal comparable to Kirk Cousins (average annual value of around $45 million) felt like a fair expectation.

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That would bump Smith from 19th in average salary for quarterbacks up to 12th — still less than Dak Prescott ($60m AAV); Joe Burrow, Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence ($55m AAV); Tua Tagovailoa, Jared Goff, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hurts ($51-53m AAV); or Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson ($46m AAV).

Hear the full Bump and Stacy conversations with NFL insider Trevor Sikkema in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch the show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Seattle Sports.