The Seattle Seahawks solidified the quarterback position in the short term earlier this week by inking Geno Smith to a three-year extension. While that keeps the reigning Comeback Player of the Year in the tent going forward, Seattle may also lock in its future under center later this offseason at the 2023 NFL Draft.
In the wake of Smith's extension, head coach Pete Carroll noted that "the opportunity is absolutely there" for the Seahawks, who own the No. 5 overall pick at the draft later this spring, to still draft a quarterback in the first round. If Seattle does decide to bring in a young signal-caller, Smith relayed to reporters on Thursday that he'd both mentor and compete against him going forward.
"I'd say it's both. I love to compete, so I'll compete with anybody," Smith said, via Pro Football Talk. "I'm also gonna help them out as much as I can. Same as we did with Drew [Lock]. Our QB room is so tight-knit and we're all so connected that we act as one. Whether it's a young guy or someone else, I'm gonna help that player just like any other player on our team be the best that he can be because that's my job as a leader."
That is the healthiest way of looking at that situation for Smith and was likely part of the conversation during his contract negotiations. While he's coming off a stellar season in 2023 as the full-time starter for Seattle and led the NFL in completion percentage, he will be 33 years old by the end of next season, which would routinely be the time that clubs start looking for a younger player to develop at the position anyways.
Smith's mindset would also help that young quarterback -- if Seattle goes down that route -- as he'd have a veteran that has started 51 games in his career spanning between four different franchises to lean on. Smith's openness to helping mold his potential replacement could help set the Seahawks up for success even beyond his tenure.
Of course, this is all under the assumption that the Seahawks actually take a QB at No. 5, which is exactly what they do in CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Josh Edwards' most recent mock draft. There, they select Will Levis to serve as Smith's successor.
قراءة المزيد ...
