Good morning, 12s. Here's a look at what's out there today — Monday, July 31 — about your Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith Climbs In The Athletic's Quarterback Rankings
In 2022, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith led Seattle to a playoff appearance and earned the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. In The Athletic’s 2023 NFL Quarterback Tier rankings, Smith climbs 15 spots and 2 tiers from his previous ranking.
It's been quite the year for Smith, following Seattle trading quarterback Russell Wilson last March. In 2022, Smith took home the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award, after throwing for 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns while posting a league-leading 69.8 completion percentage. Smith earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl, after leading the 9-8 Seahawks to an NFC Wild Card playoff appearance. But heading into last season, Smith had played just 10 games in four seasons. In 2021, Smith spotted for Wilson in four contests, completing 65-95 passes for 702 yards and five touchdowns. Prior to the 2022 season, Smith was ranked No.35 in Mike Sando's Quarterback Tiers, placing into Tier 5, which is classified as "Best suited as a backup."
In a year's time, the 32-year-old has leapt to No. 20 on the list and in Tier 3, which Athletic writer Mike Sando compiles by surveying NFL coaches and talent evaluators. The third tier's description for a quarterback is "a legitimate starter but needs a heavier running game and/or defensive component to win." Smith's numbers in 2022 would suggest he should be even higher on the list, but it was still a big jump from a player who before 2022 had been a backup for seven seasons, and was the third-largest single-year jump in Sando's decade history of tier rankings.
Voters loved Smith entering last season, but only as a backup. They did not think he would emerge as a solid starter for the Seahawks. Then again, even Seattle had to be surprised. "Nobody would have guessed he would be a Pro Bowl quarterback last year," a GM said. "Some guys make a jump. He has solidified as a legitimate starter that you can win some games with." The Seahawks were 9-8 and reached the playoffs with a team that, from an EPA standpoint, ranked higher on offense (15th) than on defense (25th). "He's got arm talent in terms of strength and accuracy, he's got mobility, and the guy is really smart," an offensive coordinator said. "He also has a great way about him with the guys, and what expressed itself is that the can lead a football team. They believe in the guy. And so I put him at a 3, but he is in that 2-3 range, depending on the day." Smith's year-over-year jump in average tier vote was the largest for any quarterback from last year. It was the third-largest single-year leap for any player in the 10-year history of Quarterback Tiers and the largest for anyone who had already appeared in the survey multiple times (Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson made larger jumps after appearing in Tier 4 initially because they had not started much to that point). "I don't think what Geno did last year was a fluke," a defensive coordinator said. "You did see him press a little bit at times, which could be more of a mindset thing. To become a 2, you have to prove it two years. Geno has the ability to do it. I do not expect a big dropoff."
Smith's teammates and fans would surely like to see him ranked a bit higher on the list, but for the quarterback approaching Year 11 with a restart on his career, it's just another mountain to climb.
Social Post Of The Day
Randall Morris, Jermaine Kearse and Cliff Avril were just a few of the Seahawks Legends present Sunday, at training camp for Legends Day:
More from Around The Web
Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times: Top pick Devon Witherspoon was all over the field at Seahawks practice.
Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times: For Drew Lock, opting for familiarity, comfort as Seahawks backup QB ‘just feels good’.
Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic: Seahawks training camp: Geno Smith and the defense get after it, plus more notes.
Corbin Smith of Sports Illustrated: Seahawks Activate TE Noah Fant From PUP List.
Corbin Smith of Sports Illustrated: Seahawks LB Boye Mafe Explains His 'Art Form,' Setting High Standard.
Brandon Gustafson of Seattle Sports 710AM: Mark Schlereth shares what he thinks of Seahawks entering 2023.
Here at Seahawks.com, observations from Day 4 of training camp, as well as some injury updates from Pete Carroll.
The Seahawks closed out the weekend in front of the 12s at practice on Sunday, July 30, 2023.
Seahawks wide receiver Dareke Young (83) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Pete Carroll and Blitz high five before practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks nose tackle Cameron Young (93), defensive end Jarran Reed (90), and defensive end Jacob Sykes (69) participate in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks tight end Tyler Mabry (85) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks tight end Will Dissly (89) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Pete Carroll at practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks players participate in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks quarterback Holton Ahlers (15) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks wide receiver Easop Winston Jr. (86) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (10) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. (97) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks tight end Colby Parkinson (84) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (87) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks linebacker Levi Bell (98) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks linebacker Tyreke Smith (92) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks tight end Colby Parkinson (84) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks running back DeeJay Dallas (31) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks running back DeeJay Dallas (31) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks (56) talks with General Manager John Schneider at practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) participate in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) participate in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) and cornerback Michael Jackson (30) participate in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks linebacker Darrell Taylor (52) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) and safety Quandre Diggs (6) participate in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks safety Joey Blount (35) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks tight end Colby Parkinson (84) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks wide receiver Dee Eskridge (1) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks quarterback Holton Ahlers (15) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks tight end Griffin Hebert (47) celebrates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks center Evan Brown (63) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) meets a fan at practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks linebacker Darrell Taylor (52) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (10) participates in practice on July 30, 2023 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.
