Geno Smith, DK Metcalf Entering Crucial Seasons For Future With Seattle Seahawks

Two of the most notable names on the Seahawks roster, Geno Smith and DK Metcalf will soon need new contracts, which puts a ton of stake on the 2024 season.

Dec 4, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) celebrates with wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) after a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Though Geno Smith and DK Metcalf still have two years remaining on their current contracts with the Seattle Seahawks, albeit for different reasons, both starters could be playing for their future with the franchise in 2024.

Just 15 months ago, Smith signed a three-year, $75 million contract that featured substantial incentives, paying him a near top-10 annual salary among quarterbacks. But that deal worth $25 million per year continues to look like a steal for general manager John Schneider as other teams dole out record-breaking contracts to signal callers, including the Jaguars recently handing Trevor Lawrence a five-year, $275 million contract, tying him with Joe Burrow for the highest paid per year at the position.

As things stand, coming off his second straight Pro Bowl selection, Smith currently ranks 18th among quarterbacks in annual salary behind the likes of Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. With Jordan Love being next on the list at $13.5 million per year, he basically has taken up residence as the cheapest of the established starting quarterbacks in the NFL, making him quite the bargain for the Seahawks.

But looking towards the future, Smith will turn 34 years old during the season and his salary cap hit skyrockets to $38.5 million in 2025, putting plenty of pressure on him to perform at a high level this season. Still, that price point ranks just 12th among quarterbacks, so if he plays well in new coordinator Ryan Grubb's offense and Seattle returns to the playoffs, even with the arrival of Sam Howell as a potential heir apparent, keeping him under center through at least next season remains a possibility.

As for Metcalf, the star receiver's contract situation with the Seahawks bears watching as well. Though he still has two years left on the three-year extension he signed in August 2022, teams have been doling out the cash for top wideouts over the past several months with six different players receiving contracts featuring top-10 annual salaries, including Justin Jefferson's record-breaking $140 million deal with the Vikings.

Eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards each of the past two seasons and three times in his five-year career with 43 receiving touchdowns, Metcalf has undoubtedly been one of the top 15 receivers in the NFL since coming to Seattle. But at the same time, he doesn't rank in the top 10 in receptions, receiving yards, or yards per reception in that span, making it tougher to digest the idea of paying him north of $30 million per year on his next contract.

On the latest episode of Locked On Seahawks, hosts Corbin Smith and Rob Rang examine how Smith and Metcalf's contracts stack up against other quarterbacks and receivers and why Seattle might have some difficult decisions to make depending on how they perform this season, break down a deep and talented receiving corps in their latest training camp preview, and continue their 90-man countdown with No. 55 through 53.

Listen to the latest Locked On Seahawks in entirety here or subscribe for free to the podcast platform of your choice here.

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