SEATTLE — In the end it was one of the only true quarterback competitions in the league heading into the regular season in Seattle. But in the end, it’ll be Geno Smith who starts for the Seahawks in Week 1, beating out Drew Lock, acquired in the Russell Wilson trade earlier this year.
All summer and back into the spring, Locked On Seahawks podcast host Corbin Smith insisted it would be Geno Smith who would end up QB1 for the Seahawks heading into the season.
Corbin Smith joined Peter Bukowski on the Locked On Sports Today podcast to discuss the Seahawks’ decision to roll with Geno Smith.
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“Pete Carroll wants a point guard at quarterback who is not going to turn the football over,” Corbin Smith said on Locked On Sports Today. “Drew Lock did everything the exact opposite on Friday night against the Dallas Cowboys. Carroll won’t play a quarterback who plays that type of football. He likes downfield shots but you still need to be smart and disciplined about it. Geno Smith is going to play quarterback that way. He might not be the most exciting quarterback in the NFL but he’s consistent, he’s reliable, his teammates hold him in high regard and he knows the offense inside and out.”
While Lock had a shot, Corbin Smith said it never really felt like a true competition to him.
“Geno Smith has had one foot under center since he re-signed in May,” Corbin Smith said. “Drew Lock had his chance but it never really felt like a true competition. Friday was the only time where it was left open where both these guys could be the starter and yet it really felt like it was Geno Smith’s job to lose more than anything.”
Meanwhile the Seahawks have some playmakers on offense with DK Metcalf and a strong backfield with Rashaad Penny and Kenneth Walker III. Can Geno Smith help the Seahawks win more games than people expect?
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“I’ve been saying this all along, I think this is a 6-7-8 win outfit, I’d be surprised if they get above .500 just because the QB situation, but Geno Smith gives them the best chance to potentially surprise and be a playoff team. It’s not that Smith has more upside, anybody that has watched Drew Lock knows he could put everything together. But potential is a dangerous word and he has not played to that potential. Too many mistakes. You’re not going to have that problem with Geno especially with his knowledge of this offense and rapport he built with DK Metcalf.”
“I’m not saying he’s going to be a 30 touchdown QB, but maybe he can get 20-25 touchdowns and not have a ton of interceptions,” Corbin Smith continued. “If he can do that with the run game they expect to have and an offensive line that quite frankly is going to exceed expectations I think, they could surprise people.”
What about long term? Is Geno Smith the right option or will Seattle have someone completely different under center next season?
“The Seahawks can say they aren’t rebuilding or whatever term you want to use, but they’re going to be drafting a quarterback early next year,” Corbin Smith said. “They’re going to have two first round picks, they’ve got two second round picks. Even if they somehow win 10 games this year, they still have two first rounders and two second rounders, they can package two of them to move up and get their guy. Geno Smith is not their long-term quarterback, Drew Lock is certainly not their long-term quarterback. That guy isn’t on the roster yet, and there’s a pretty good QB class coming in in 2023.”