Geno Smith is capable of making great plays. The key to any form of long-term success, however, is being able to replicate what led to the success many times over. In Week 9, Smith had three interceptions, but he also had three touchdown passes. He also threw a number of passes where only his receiver could catch them. Again, he can be good.
This has been the issue with the Seattle Seahawks quarterback for two-plus seasons. He can lead the team to wins, but not enough to be truly dangerous. In Week 9, Smith gaveth, but he also tooketh away.
Smith had two red-zone interceptions in the fourth quarter. For the game, Smith did have those three interceptions, but the first was not his fault. He threw a decent pass that wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba let the ball bounce off of him and into the arms of a Rams defender. The last two picks were completely on Smith.
Geno Smith throws the game away for the Seahawks in Week 9 versus the Rams
With the bye week next week, the Seahawks must ask themselves where they think they are as a team. If they believe, likely wrongly, that they are a team that could still make the playoffs then they should not make changes. If Seattle believes this is a rebuilding year, which it is, then a quarterback change might be needed.
Smith has played well enough early in the year to have a chance to keep his job. But he is not a championship-caliber quarterback. He is good enough not to be a bad quarterback but bad enough to never be great. A team might be able to make the playoffs with Smith, which Seattle did in 2022, but they won't do much once in the postseason.
Part of the issue is that Smith has a cap hit of nearly $40 million in 2025. Releasing him would save the team $25 million. Sam Howell would then become QB1. Howell might not be an elite quarterback either, but he only cost the team a bit over $1 million next season. As Seattle has nearly nothing in cap room in 2025, tough roster cuts need to be made. Smith could be one of them.
Smith arguably had his worst game since he became the Seahawks starter in Week 1 of 2022. His fourth quarter interceptions were unforgivable. The first came with the score tied at 13. Smith threw a pass toward the Rams end zone but directly to Rams cornerback Kamren Kinchens who returned the pick 103 yards for a touchdown.
The second interception, Smith threw the ball low and to a spot where there was no Seattle receiver, and there was never going to be. Kinchens picked that one off, too. The pick came after Seattle had blocked a punt, and the offense was set up inside the 20-yard line of Los Angeles.
Smith was not the reason that the Seahawks were losing in Weeks 3 through 7. He was a big reason the team was blown out in Week 8 by the Buffalo Bills. In Week 9 against LA, Smith was nearly the entire reason Seattle lost. The offense is digressing, and Smith is the biggest reason for that.
The Seahawks are now 4-5 after starting 3-0. The team is in last place in the NFC West. The playoffs are a pipe dream. Smith is 34 years old, and he appears incapable of ever elevating his play much more than what his best has been for the last two-plus seasons. And that level is not good enough to help Seattle become a dangerous playoff team.
