Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald refrained from definitively naming Geno Smith as the team’s starting quarterback for the 2024 season. According to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, Macdonald opted to keep his options open when discussing his plans for the quarterback position in his inaugural season with the team.
Macdonald emphasized the organization’s commitment to making decisions that prioritize the team’s best interests. He stated, “The first thing that I want you to know, and everybody to know, is that as an organization we’re always looking, we’re always trying to figure out what’s best for the team all the time. We’re always going to try to make the best decisions for the team.”
Smith’s NFL journey seemed to be on a downward trajectory after stints with four different teams from 2016 to 2020. However, his impressive performance in 2022, which earned him the Comeback Player of the Year award, revitalized his career. Smith completed 69.8 percent of his passes for 4,282 yards, throwing 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while leading the Seahawks to the playoffs.
He was rewarded the following offseason with a three-year contract valued at $105 million, although his performance in 2023 did not match his outstanding 2022 season. Smith started 15 games, throwing for 3,624 yards, with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Seattle narrowly missed the playoffs.
With Macdonald and general manager John Schneider taking over from former head coach Pete Carroll on the sidelines and in the front office, the new leadership may prefer to move forward with their preferred quarterback. The Seahawks restructured Smith’s contract on Feb. 22, creating $4.8 million in salary cap space, as reported by ESPN’s Field Yates.
While this doesn’t necessarily indicate that the 33-year-old quarterback will be traded during the offseason, he could face stiff competition during training camp. The ability to adapt to the playbook introduced by Ryan Grubb, who was hired as Seattle’s new offensive coordinator on Feb. 13, is likely to play a role in the team’s decision-making process.
According to Dugar, Macdonald expressed excitement for Smith to join the team and help “build this team the way we envision it.” It’s expected that Seattle’s offense will undergo changes in both scheme and personnel during the 2024 season.
