Seahawks' Geno Smith dealing with lingering knee injury ahead of Week 17

The Seahawks are still in contention for a postseason berth, but their chances of winning the NFC West are slim at this point. 

Quarterback Geno Smith will need to deliver a pair of strong performances if Seattle is to finish the campaign at 9-8, something which will also be key in determining his candidacy for an extension.

Doing so will require continuing to play through the knee injury he suffered in Week 15. Smith exited that contest with Sam Howell taking over at quarterback, but the veteran managed to play on Sunday without missing time. The issue is lingering, though, and that will remain the case moving forward.

"Nah, it’s not," Smith confirmed when asked whether the injury is behind him at this point, via Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. "It’s going to be there for a while. But gotta keep pushing."

Smith had another uneven performance in the Seahawks’ loss to the Vikings on Sunday, adding to his middle-of-the-road showing on the whole this year. The 34-year-old has thrown 17 touchdowns in 2024, but his 15 interceptions are the second most in the NFL this year. 

Seattle’s offense has had issues up front, though, and the team’s ground game has left plenty to be desired. As a result, head coach Mike Macdonald has remained complimentary when speaking about Smith over the year.

"He makes it go," the first-time head coach said about Smith, via Dugar (subscription required). "It’s really simple. We put a lot on his plate, and rightfully so. He’s earned the right to have a lot on his plate operationally."

Smith has been in Seattle since 2020, and this season is his third in a row operating as the team’s starting quarterback. The former second-rounder impressed during his first campaign atop the depth chart, and it landed him an extension and accompanying raise last spring. 

One year remains on that deal, but none of Smith’s base salary for 2025 ($14.8M) is guaranteed, and his projected cap hit ($38.5M) could prove to be cumbersome. The Seahawks will have time to move on before a $10M roster bonus comes due this March if the team elects to reset at the position.

Seattle’s 2025 QB outlook has been unclear since the attempts made by Smith’s camp to negotiate a new contract this summer came up short. Indications from earlier this month pointed to a long-term commitment on the part of the Seahawks being unlikely, although that could, of course, change depending on how the rest of the season plays out. 

As the team appears set to miss the postseason again, however, it would not come as a surprise if other options for the position were to be explored.

Howell, like Smith, is on the books through 2026, thanks to the term remaining on his rookie contract. The former Commanders draftee could be seen as a backup option moving forward, but replacing Smith with a new starter would be a central offseason objective if the team were to take that route. 

Given Macdonald’s public stance on the matter, maintaining the status quo through next season could nevertheless be on the table.