Geno Smith Thread

[BoKnows81]

[Atlasffa]

This is a portion of an article written by Michael-Shawn Dugar, Seahawks beat writer for The Athletic. Interesting POV. Bottom line--he doesn't believe Darnold is an upgrade to Smith. (Bolding in the article is mine, not the author's.)

What’s going on in Seattle?

You’ve also probably been seeking an answer to that question since learning the team is entertaining offers for receiver DK Metcalf, who earlier this week requested to be traded. The Seahawks want a haul in return for him, and if they don’t get it, they’re prepared to keep him around in 2025. But the hope is that a deal, preferably before the NFL Draft, winds up being advantageous for all parties involved.

The Seahawks proudly boasted the fact that Mike Macdonald just completed a 10-7 season, making him the winningest first-year coach in franchise history. Yes, they were upset at missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season but were overall pleased with the foundation laid in Year 1. Ryan Grubb got the ax after one season, but replacing him with Klint Kubiak, who brought in a slew of familiar faces to help build Seattle’s offensive identity, spoke to the team’s urgent desire to become a contender again.

So, why ship out Pro Bowl players like Amazon packages?

Let’s start with the quarterback, since that’s most pertinent.

Smith has long viewed himself as a top-tier quarterback. His two head coaches in Seattle mostly agreed with that assessment. Drew Lock was the focus in the immediate aftermath of the Russell Wilson trade, but Pete Carroll had faith all along that Smith could be the guy — and he was right.

Macdonald inherited Smith and quickly started to sound like his predecessor, becoming a huge Smith advocate.

General manager John Schneider was seldom as effusive with his praise. After trading Wilson in 2022, Schneider didn’t re-sign Smith — who was a free agent and could have joined any team — until a few weeks before the 2022 draft. After Smith broke out in 2022, the GM signed him to what amounted to a creatively crafted prove-it deal. The team did not engage in extension talks last offseason, despite Smith’s interest in doing so.

It always felt as if the front office’s view of Smith was noticeably different than that of the coaching staff.

This is why I asked Smith in Week 18 if he was confident that the Seahawks saw him the way he saw himself — as a “top tier” quarterback. Smith answered yes. His confidence didn’t seem warranted then, and that’s only been confirmed two months later.

It’s no surprise the front office balked at paying Smith what he believes he’s worth — even though Carroll and the Raiders appear willing to do so — nor that the divide led to Friday’s trade.

Seattle is now targeting impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Darnold is the best veteran quarterback available, so a plan to pivot to the Pro Bowl passer would make sense in that he’s a better fit than Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers (and all that comes with signing him) or Daniel Jones.

Darnold turns 28 this summer and is coming off the best year of his career in his only season with the Minnesota Vikings. He threw for 4,319 yards with 35 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He ranked 16th in dropback EPA (five spots ahead of Smith), fifth in touchdown percentage and sixth in yards per attempt, according to TruMedia, while leading five game-winning drives (including one in Seattle).

But Darnold was either sacked or threw an interception on 9.7 percent of his dropbacks, which was the 10th-highest rate in the league. He also had two of his worst games of the season in Week 18 and the wild-card round of the playoffs, when the stakes were highest.

Between Minnesota’s play caller, offensive line, skill players and defense, Darnold was in one of the league’s most quarterback-friendly situations last season. And that’s relevant regardless of whether Seattle ends up with him, Sam Howell, a different veteran or a rookie behind center in 2025. The dominant Wilson-led teams of the 2010s were so tough to beat in large part because of how well the quarterback was supported.

The pressure is on Schneider and Macdonald to recapture that magic — immediately. This was true before the Smith trade, but it’s become even more urgent now that the team has moved on from a proven commodity without a path to an obvious upgrade (Smith, for my money, is better than Darnold).

The full article for subscribers to The Athletic can be found at this link: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/618615 ... ider-plan/

[Sold My Soul]

I've been pretty muted on the signing because I have a hard time mustering an opinion one way or another.

It's like ...Yawn. OK.

[LayneStaley]

Next season when Darnold turns back into a dumpster fire and Geno leads us to 10 wins this thread will be fun to revisit.

[Atlasffa]

[quote=Sold My Soul post_id=1278633]I've been pretty muted on the signing because I have a hard time mustering an opinion one way or another.

It's like ...Yawn. OK.[/quote]"Yawn. OK." That's fine, it is what it is. He's not a full-of-promise, young, exciting, sure-fire draft pick. (There aren't any of those in this draft class.) But he's also not a bottom of the barrel, incompetent, non-athletic, poor leader type of QB that we should bemoan trading for. I think Pete brings out the best in him and that's pretty good. We've seen QBs win SBs that aren't all that and a bag of chips. Anyone remember Nick Foles? Geno surprised the heck out of the 12s and he might do the same for the Black Hole.

[Atlasffa]

From another The Athletic article.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider said at the NFL Scouting Combine last week that there was “no” doubt that Smith was the Seahawks’ guy for 2025. “We expect him to be our guy,” Schneider said.

Head coach Mike Macdonald went as far as to say Seattle could win a championship with Smith, and new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said the opportunity to coach Smith is one of the reasons he was attracted to Seattle.

“It was a huge draw to come here and be able to get to coach him,” Kubiak said. “Tough as nails in the fourth quarter — goes out and wins football games. Fires me up. A guy who’s been through adversity. That’s a guy I want to coach.”

But these comments were made before Schneider said he was going to meet with Smith’s agent, Chafie Fields, about a contract extension. Smith is entering the final year of his contract with a cap hit of about $44.5 million.

They were also made before receiver DK Metcalf’s trade request Thursday.

It’s unlikely the Seahawks’ opinions of Smith have changed, but as long as Schneider has been running the show, virtually everyone has been deemed expendable — at the right price. Or, in some instances, if the price to retain the player is too high.

Link to full article for The Athletic subscribers: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/618352 ... -nfl-news/

[ELCAraiderfan]

[quote=RaiderandBulldog post_id=1278628]That’s not a surprise. 35 is nothing nowadays a for a qb and Oete loves him.[/quote]I know this is just a typo, but Oete' has a very cool ring too it. Kind of a spiritual, wise man. Oete' the Great - Pronounced "OH 'it tAA"

[Curay7680]

[quote=Attyla post_id=1278318]lol, we got some seriously pissed off people over us getting a QB who can play for a couple years.[/quote]Funny thing is they can't "make it make sense" either.

[Curay7680]

[quote=raiderkoch post_id=1278329]Don't you know it sucks to get players that are reasonable priced and can serve as a middle, to upper middle serviceable player while the team of a staff of winners can get"their team" in order?[/quote]Lol

[Curay7680]

[quote=raider_kin post_id=1278345]I certainly wouldn't hate Jeanty at 6 but still hoping for a defensive player there.

Deep draft at RB, can get one later.[/quote]Yes 14 other running backs besides Jeanty that could be starters...

[rich72]

[quote=DanKD post_id=1278625]Not everyone is going to like the move. I will say though that the Seahawks have exactly one superbowl win and it was won by our current coach, so I dont think you can just assume they are making the smart move and the Raiders not.[/quote] Geno seemed to play his best ball under Carroll, maybe he wasnt clicking with the coaching staff after Carroll left.

[Attyla]

Well, let's see here. The main complaint from lasts year was the lack of addressing the QB situation. First thing our brain trust does is get us a guy who can play the position. And the complaints begin. Is he a long term solution? Sure, you can get 4 years out of him likely. That gets our coach to 78 years of age. We insisted that Reggie was on a; five year plan to get us fixed, and I don't even think Pete will need that number to get us set up. In those four years we will surely address the QB situation again. That is the NFL. You are always the placeholder for the next guy.

So we built a bridge. That allows us to address other areas. The Oline, the RB situation and a true #1 receiver are all next. We can do all of that in two years or less. Was Darnold the better option? Who knows really. We saw one year of good football out of him. Will he continue on that path? Again, we will see. I would have liked to have tried for sure. Geno may be accurate but his TD tp INT rate is less than desired. At least there will be continuity which should accelerate the coaching transition.

[Opoponax50]

[quote=LESTERMAHONEY post_id=1278609]Welcome to the Raiders Geno.[/quote]Look at Carr's stats on PFF. He's elite!

Look at Carr's comeback numbers. He's elite!

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Anyone who watched Carr as closely as Raider fans were forced to knows that paper stats don't mean wins.

[raidersince63]

After acquiring Geno Smith, I'm even more convince that drafting Jeanty at #6 is the right move...because Jeanty, IMO, is the best option for a greatly improved running game, which in turn, will make Geno even better...a FA OLman signing will help too, and from there we can select our QB in the 2nd or later rounds. Still pimping Dart.

[LESTERMAHONEY]

[quote=Opoponax50 post_id=1278656]Look at Carr's stats on PFF. He's elite!

Look at Carr's comeback numbers. He's elite!

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Anyone who watched Carr as closely as Raider fans were forced to knows that paper stats don't mean wins.[/quote]I don’t claim to be an expert but I am a fan. I’m just trying to spin something positive after reading 32 pages of doom and gloom. It’s how I roll - trying to see the bright side of this team I have rooted for since 1967. There is a small chance that Geno works out for us so I’ll take it.

I trust PC more than anybody here and I’m glad he and the gm have addressed our qb situation without giving up the farm (so far) and avoiding a bidding war. If we can avoid the injuries that crippled us from the start of last season I think it is quite possible we can make the playoffs this year with a healthy defense and an upgrade at qb and hc. Nobody here knows how things will work out so I’m hoping for the best. Nothing wrong with that. Go Raiders!

[Viper]

I like hope and signing Geno gives me some. I understand all the years of false hope, but I remain positive in the direction I see us taking. We still have some cash, much draft capital and what I believe to be smarter football guys running it all.
Yesterday does not dictate tomorrow for me.