Seattle Seahawks Training Camp: Geno Smith Aims to Elevate Game in New Offense

Running what he cited as an "explosive" scheme under Ryan Grubb, Geno Smith will be looking to return to 2022 form with a talented Seahawks receiving corps.

Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb watches as quarterbacks Geno Smith and Sam Howell prepare to throw during a team drill at OTAs. / Corbin Smith/All Seahawks

Back in the saddle for his third season as the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, coming off his second straight Pro Bowl selection with sights on taking his game to another level, Geno Smith has been tasked with learning a complex new offense under offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.

But while the process of mastering a new playbook always will be tedious in the NFL, especially for a quarterback who must know every last detail engineering the offense, Smith hasn't been fazed by the process pairing up with Grubb. In fact, unlike most quarterbacks who have to adapt to an all new coaching staff and new offense, he has benefited immensely from continuity at the skill positions, including each of his top four receivers from a year ago returning.

"Shoot, that helps a lot. I look forward to guys making big jumps. All of us," Smith told reporters when asked about the continuity during OTAs in May. "The entire group. DK (Metcalf), Tyler (Lockett), Jaxon [Smith-Njigba], [Jake] Bobo, Dareke [Young], all those guys. I think they all have a shot to do some really good things. I think Dee [Eskridge] had a really good day... I can see that group just continuing to make strides. I think as long as we continue to push each other, continue to work hard, we got a real shot."

Though Smith didn't quite equal his numbers from a breakout 2022 season that culminated in a Comeback Player of the Year award, the veteran signal caller still put up rock solid numbers despite playing behind an injury-marred offense line last season. After orchestrating a league-high five game-winning drives in the fourth quarter last season, having a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Metcalf and Lockett along with the ascending Smith-Njigba, Bobo, and tight end Noah Fant should set him up for even greater success in Grubb's system.

Before shunning Alabama, where he briefly took the offensive coordinator job in January, Grubb deployed one of the most potent attacks in all of college football at Washington. Led by Michael Penix Jr., who was drafted by the Falcons in April and possesses similar traits to Smith as a proficient deep ball thrower with underrated pocket maneuverability, the Huskies finished with a top-five passing attack in each of his two seasons as the play caller in Montlake.

Still with much left to install when camp opens in late July, Smith acknowledged in May that he needs more reps to truly be able to assess where his skills fit into Grubb's scheme, but he looked quite comfortable at the controls throughout OTAs and minicamp. With all of his key weapons returning at his disposal, he has high expectations for himself and the Seahawks offense as a whole heading into 2024.

"I feel like we're in a really good spot honestly," Smith said. "Personally, I can say I feel like I really have a really good grasp of the offense. I know there are still things I have to learn. From the installs that we've done, really sharp with those things. And then as a group, it's not just about me personally, it's about the collective group, and so that's what is important. We're all on top and prepared. That's coming along well as well. I think we're all just getting better. We had a few mistakes out there at practice, but that's a good thing. Those are things we can clean up and we can learn from; and then just try to eliminate the mental mistakes and just go out there and play fast."

Kicking off our annual training camp preview, what are expectations for Smith and Seattle's quarterback group? Here's a deep dive into the position group looking back at last season, exploring what's new for 2024, an interesting stat, and the key question that must be answered.

2023 in Review

On the heels of a stunning breakthrough season, Smith got off to a slower start last year in part due to numerous injuries along the offensive line that left him with minimal time to get the ball to his standout receivers. Through the first eight games, he threw just nine touchdowns and seven interceptions But in the second half, the veteran gunslinger found his groove, tossing nine touchdowns and only two interceptions in his final six starts while leading game-winning drives against the Titans and Cardinals in the last three weeks of the season. He finished with 20 touchdowns - 10 fewer than he tossed in 2022 - while completing 65 percent of his passes for 3,624 yards and a 92.1 passer rating, posting an 8-7 record in 15 starts for the Seahawks.

What’s New?

Following the departure of backup Drew Lock, who bolted to sign with the Giants early in free agency, general manager John Schneider swung a deal with the Commanders, acquiring third-year quarterback Sam Howell, a fourth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick in exchange for a third-round pick and fifth-round pick. The former North Carolina star started all 17 games for Washington last season, throwing 21 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in an inconsistent first full season as a starter. His best performance of the year came against Seattle when he threw three touchdowns in a close road loss at Lumen Field, which played a role in Schneider's decision to trade for him.

In addition to dealing for Howell, the Seahawks further bolstered their quarterback depth in early June by signing fifth-year veteran PJ Walker to a one-year contract. Formerly starring in the now-defunct XFL in 2020, he has started nine games for the Panthers and Browns over the past two seasons, including starting for Cleveland in Seattle last year. A dual-threat quarterback with experience, he should be practice squad insurance at minimum behind Smith and Howell.

Interesting Stat

Showing off a historic clutch gene for Seattle, Smith became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw seven go-ahead touchdown passes thrown in the fourth quarter during a single season.

Key Question

With Howell now in the fold, can Smith secure his spot as the starting quarterback beyond 2024?

Arriving in Seattle with 18 career starts under his belt before his 24th birthday and two years left on his rookie contract, the Seahawks will have an extended opportunity to see whether or not the young quarterback may have what it takes to develop into a long-term starter. At least for this year, however, barring injury, Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald threw water on any possibility of an open competition, declaring Smith as the undisputed starter before OTAs began. As evidenced in spring practices, that decision looks like a wise one, as the incumbent shined running Grubb's system and the newcomer struggled at times trying to run a new offense with all new receivers.

But if Howell can showed marked improvement during training camp and the preseason and Smith doesn't rebound to his 2022 production or better, the Seahawks undoubtedly will have a difficult decision on their hands next March. After restructuring Smith's contract, his salary cap hit will balloon to $38.5 million dollars entering the final year of his current deal, and Schneider will have to decide whether he wants to extend the veteran with what will likely be a costly multi-year deal or potentially move on in favor of a much cheaper, younger Howell.