(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Coming into the 2022 season, quarterback Geno Smith was considered by most to be nothing more than a decent backup signal-caller.
After the Seattle Seahawks traded future Hall-of-Fame QB Russell Wilson last summer, Smith won the starting job over Drew Lock, and he proceeded to become one of the NFL’s feel-good stories.
He led the league in completion rate at 69.8 percent while throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns, which earned him a Pro Bowl nod and the Comeback Player of the Year award.
Now, he and the Seahawks have agreed to a multi-year contract, and his outstanding 2022 performance could make him a very rich man.
Breaking: Geno Smith and the #Seahawks are finalizing a three-year contract extension worth $105M with the ability to earn $52M in the first calendar year, sources tell @theScore.
Smith earned Comeback Player of the Year and Pro Bowl honors after leading the NFL in completion %. pic.twitter.com/RbMMXJ6Uke
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 6, 2023
The new contract is reportedly worth $105 million, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, and the signal-caller could earn as much as $52 million over the next 12 months.
After Seattle traded Wilson, many felt they had begun a rebuilding process, but many in the organization refused to use the word “rebuild” to describe the state of the franchise.
Surprisingly, they were right, as the team started 6-3 and earned a playoff spot.
The Seahawks also enjoyed the emergence of rookie running back Kenneth Walker III, who had 1,050 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, which put him second in the Rookie of the Year balloting.
It is reasonable to doubt that Smith can duplicate what he did this past season in 2023, as opposing teams will now be zeroing in on him and taking him very seriously.
But he has at least gained a level of respect around the NFL that seemed unthinkable just six months ago.
The post Geno Smith Is Set For A Massive 2023 Payday appeared first on The Cold Wire.
