Geno Smith’s base salary became fully guaranteed last week, but that’s no guarantee he will be under center when the 2024 season begins.
While guaranteing his salary may seem like an indication Seattle intends to keep Smith and start him Week 1, the details matter and facts are that Smith is now much more tradeable than he was at this time last week.
Ian Haritz, formerly of Pro Football Focus and Action Network, detailed potential trade partners for Smith in NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry’s Fantasy Life newsletter.
The NFL analyst cited ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s report that the team could consider trades. Haritz then picked a number of spots where Geno could go and that includes the Minnesota Vikings.
“The best fit for Smith is probably still in Seattle alongside his talented pass-catchers and in a new scheme that looks poised to air the ball out,” Haritz wrote in February 16 newsletter story titled, “Geno Watch And NFC East Team Needs.”
“… The Titans, Giants and Broncos (depending on the still-developing Russell Wilson situation) could also feasibly be in the mix. New jobs also have the potential to open up in Tampa Bay and Minnesota, depending on what Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield do in free agency.”
There’s not usually a huge market for 33 year-old quarterbacks, but the way Smith has played over the last two seasons might be enough to convince some organizations to come after him.
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Kirk Cousins is likely to be a lot more expensive than Smith which is a huge reason to go with him instead. Minnesota could decide to choose a quarterback at pick 11 in the first round but would basically be stating that next season would be a throwaway year as they try and develop the youngster. They could do that and bring in Geno to be a bridge quarterback.
Geno Smith could be QB1 in 2024 and let whoever the Vikings take in the 2024 NFL draft learn for a year.
In 2023, Smith threw for 3,624 yards and 20 touchdowns to nine interceptions while completing 64.7% of his pass attempts.
Those numbers came off Smith having a career year in 2022 that saw him throw for 4,282 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.