The pairing of Geno Smith and the Seahawks has worked out perfectly for both parties.
After the veteran quarterback saw minimal action as a backup to Russell Wilson in his first three seasons in Seattle, Smith has now produced two consecutive Pro Bowl campaigns since taking over as a full-time starter. As Seahawks veterans report to camp next Tuesday, Smith still believes he can reach new heights entering his 12th NFL season.
"I'm still getting better," Smith said this week, via John Boyle of the team’s website. "I've made leaps and bounds physically, I'm still getting stronger at my age. I don't know if that's rare or not, but that's something I'm doing. I've gotten faster, I don't think I've ever thrown the ball as good as I am right now. I'm in a really good place, just accuracy wise, and I can throw the ball farther than I ever have.
“That's the reason why I think I can still improve, because I work hard and I push myself, and I'm seeing the improvements within myself. The outside noise never bothered me and never will; I know internally what I can do, and I know I'm still not a finished product."
Smith is confident in his accuracy for good reason. Although his completion percentage did dip in 2023, before that he led the league with a 69.8 completion percentage in 2022.
Last season, Smith posted the NFL's best touchdown-to-interception ratio (9:1) in the fourth quarter or overtime, per NFL Research, and he also led the league with five game-winning drives.
But 2024 will be different with new head coach Mike Macdonald and first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, whose “pretty complex” system Smith has been working to learn. Smith admitted this offseason that the playbook includes plays that he has never seen throughout his career.
Something in Smith’s favor heading into a new offense is that his top receivers are all returning, meaning he’ll already have that built-in chemistry with his wideouts. His top trio of receivers, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, combined for 208 receptions, 2,636 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 2023. Under Grubb’s guidance, Smith envisions a lethal unit brewing in Seattle.
"The big plays, being able to attack defense, and that's not just in the passing game, but also in the running game," Smith said. "Having the types of weapons that we have, the type of offensive line that we have, and if we can all jell and mesh together, we can be unstoppable."
With training camp days away for veteran players, Smith is ecstatic to begin preparing for the 2024 season.
"I'm super excited for this team," he said. "I've been working with guys throughout the break, and all the guys are looking really good, really sharp. We've been studying, getting together, going over the plays, just getting ready for training camp and for the season. I'm just so excited where we are right now, physically and mentally, I think we're in a good place."