If you ask Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, he'd tell you that he could see his explosive growth coming ahead of the 2022 season. After standing on the sidelines as a backup for seven entire NFL seasons, Smith finally got his chance to start again that year.
When the games arrived, Smith quickly showed that he had grown beyond the quarterback fans had come to know from early in his career with the Jets. From a reckless, turnover-prone gunslinger to a quick, smart and still-aggressive passer, Smith's game had clearly developed a great deal since his last stint as a starter back in 2014.
Another guy who had a front-row seat to see Smith blow up was Panthers head coach Dave Canales, who was Seattle's quarterbacks coach at the time. Here's a clip of Canales talking to Peter Schrager about what he saw from Smith during that transition from the Russell Wilson era.
“Nobody throws a prettier ball than Geno Smith…”
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) June 27, 2024
Loved my chat with new Panthers HC Dave Canales for this week’s “The Season with Peter Schrager” pod. I thought his appreciation for and relationship with @GenoSmith3 is beyond cool. @gmfb @nflnetwork @NFLMedia pic.twitter.com/bIPvK685LU
Smith is heading into this third year as the Seahawks' starting quarterback. He is reportedly "well ahead" of his primary backup Sam Howell on the depth chart. Seattle also recently signed former Browns and Panthers quarterback P.J. Walker to serve as their No. 3 option.
