Geno Smith Addresses Seahawks Contract Talks: 'It's Looking Very Good'

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith is set to become a free agent this winter, but it appears he's making progress on a deal to remain in the Emerald City for the 2023 campaign.

During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Friday, Smith said the chances of himself and Seattle reaching a deal are "looking very good," per ESPN's Brady Henderson.

Smith said:

"We've had talks and we're in the process of getting all that settled right now. It's looking very good. We think we can get some things done, but obviously those things take time. This is the process that I hate about the NFL because I just want to play football, but it's a business as well, so we've got to take care of business and then we'll get back to the football."

That's a good sign for Smith, who told reporters after falling to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round last month that he hoped to spend his entire career in Seattle.

"I wanna finish my career in Seattle. I wanna be here," Smith said. "The town, the city, the team, coach Carroll, the organization, they all embraced me. I was a guy who probably could've been out of the league. They embraced me, and I wanna repay them for that."

If the Seahawks and Smith are unable to come to terms, Seattle would be open to placing the $30-plus million franchise tag on him in 2023, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Jan. 14.

Smith was a pleasant surprise for the Seahawks in 2022, having exceeded expectations after entering the starting lineup following the deal that sent Russell Westbrook to the Denver Broncos.

The 32-year-old completed 69.8 percent of his passes for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 17 games. He also rushed for 366 yards and one score en route to his first-ever Pro Bowl selection.

The Seahawks went 9-8 with Smith as their starting signal-caller and made the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season. That said, it's no surprise they're looking to keep him around a little longer.