Seahawks GM addresses Geno Smith’s recent comments

In a Sports Illustrated article published on Monday, veteran quarterback Geno Smith shared his first public comments since the stunning March 7 trade that sent him from the Seattle Seahawks to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Rost: Who’s right in the Geno Smith-Seahawks ‘disrespect’ discourse

Smith told SI’s Albert Breer that he felt a “disconnect” between him and the Seahawks over how he fit into the franchise’s long-term plans. He also insinuated that he felt disrespected by how Seattle handled negotiations over a contract extension this offseason.

On Thursday, Seahawks general manager John Schneider was asked about Smith’s comments during the GM’s weekly conversation with Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob.

“Very comfortable the way we handled it and knowing that, (as) a wise man told me once, you can’t tell somebody how to feel,” Schneider said. “There’s a lot of things you can do, but these are this person’s feelings. And it’s like any other relationship. That’s the way you feel. I’m not going to tell you you’re wrong.”

Back on March 13, Schneider told Wyman and Bob that contract talks broke down after the Seahawks made an offer to Smith but never received a counter. That prompted Seattle to trade Smith to the Raiders in exchange for a 2025 third-round draft pick.

“We made an offer, and we thought it was a strong offer,” Schneider said on March 13. “We wanted Geno to be here. You know, we had to be prepared if, obviously, they didn’t like the offer. There was no counter, so we just had to do what we always do, which is the best thing for the organization.”

According to Breer, Smith’s big issue was that Seattle’s offer gave the team “escape hatches” and fell short of the longer-term commitment he was hoping for.

“Obviously, (the Seahawks) have young guys in the building that they want to step up and be leaders, and they got a new head coach (Mike Macdonald) last year,” Smith told Breer in an interview last Friday. “And Mike was good for us, and I really enjoyed being with him for that season. But again, man, when you’re talking about business, and you’re talking about a quarterback who wants not only to get paid – every player wants to get paid – but to be respected, that’s the most important thing. It’s the respect factor.

“And I just felt like there was a disconnect there.”

Smith has since signed a two-year, $75 million contract extension with the Raiders. He had one year and $31 million left on the deal he signed with the Seahawks in 2023, so that means his new contract is essentially for three years and $106 million.

That’s similar to the three-year, $100.5 million deal that quarterback Sam Darnold signed with the Seahawks following the Smith trade. But among the key differences in the two contracts is the amount of fully guaranteed money. Smith’s deal includes $58.5 million of fully guaranteed money, while Darnold’s has $37.5 million fully guaranteed.

Listen to the full conversation with Seahawks general manager John Schneider at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. The John Schneider Show airs on Thursdays at 4 p.m. leading up to the NFL Draft.

Seattle Seahawks coverage

• Did Geno really leave Seattle Seahawks for a better situation in Vegas?
• How Sam Darnold and Geno Smith’s new contracts compare
• Why Daniel Jeremiah is a believer in Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold
• Bump’s take on 2 QB draft prospects reported to visit Seattle Seahawks
• Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: Why Michigan TE is possibility at No. 18

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