Seahawks Will Trade Up for New QB in Draft, Replace Geno, Predicts King

Seattle Seahawks Will Trade Up for New QB in NFL Draft, Replace Geno Smith, Predicts Peter King

A changing of the guard at quarterback in Seattle is inevitable; even the contractual commitment that the Seahawks made to Geno Smith suggests that.

Is the change coming as early as April?

NBC Sports' Peter King is predicting that the ground is being put down for the Seahawks to not only draft a QB in the upcoming NFL Draft, but to trade up in the draft to pick a successor for quarterback Smith.

Writes the long-time NFL reporter King: "As for teams anxious to deal up for a quarterback, let's see if Minnesota, at 11, moves aggressively to sign Kirk Cousins (I doubt it). Then it's Denver at 12, Vegas at 13, Seattle at 16 (I bet Seattle tries to move up) in the derby for young quarterbacks."

How much of this is speculation? Plenty. How much credibility does King have in this matters? Plenty.

The Seahawks currently have the No. 16 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but getting up and in on a quarterback draft class that many see as being "loaded'' might just add up.

Next up: "Jalen Smith with the Rejection"

There might be as many as eight quarterbacks in the top 100 or so prospects, with North Carolina's Drake Maye, USC's Caleb Williams and LSU's Jayden Daniels being some of the top names. ... and of course there is Washington's Michael Penix, too.

Sharing Seattle? Geno Praises 'Really Special' Washington QB Penix

This year, the 33-year old Smith threw for 3,624 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions. That is a relative success, but it reminds us that in many ways Geno was meant to come here and be a bridge to the next.

Smith has value no matter what the Seahawks do here. But if they manage to draft up and land that all-important quarterback? Smith's value shifts into him being a mentor - and head coach Pete Carroll's program gets new life.