28 February 2024 , 02:00
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Mike Macdonald is keeping quiet about whether Geno Smith will begin the 2024 season under centre for the Seattle Seahawks - or if he'll be with the organisation at all.
He chatted with Aaron Levine from KCPQ TV in Seattle and offered little clarity, saying, "That's a tough question (whether Smith is in our plans) and it's one that I probably can't answer right now. But we're doing a lot of work on those guys and I've had conversations just to get to know them and understand who they are as people and their background, and goals and what their family's like and where they're from."
He also mentioned: "I didn't know anything about them (the team) coming into this whole thing. So, right now we're in the phase of figuring out who they are."
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The Seahawks have been shaking things up after saying goodbye to Pete Carroll, their coach for 14 years. They picked up Macdonald from the Baltimore Ravens, making him the youngest head coach in the NFL.
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Macdonald has been the head coach for just over four weeks and is now looking at his team's options. There's talk that Smith might not be the top man to lead the offence anymore, even though he's been playing really well for the last two years since Russell Wilson left, getting picked for the Pro Bowl twice.
However, Macdonald might start looking for a new quarterback soon. He could pick someone younger and cheaper in the NFL Draft. This would help him make his own team with a fresh style.
New Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has big decisions to make. (Getty Images)Macdonald didn't answer for sure if Smith will play elsewhere next season, and he didn't give assurances that he would bring back backup Drew Lock, saying, "Obviously, one or two, or both, would fit into our plans moving forward. But right now, probably don't have that answer for you."
John Schneider, the general manager, made fans think more about a trade when he said on Tuesday: "[Smith] is the starter until he isn't," talking about if Smith will be with the team in 2024.
Smith will get $12.7 million in 2024, and the Seahawks restructured his contract to save $4.8 million. If they decide to trade him, they would have to pay $27 million.
However, any team that snaps up Smith would only be paying the quarterback a cool $13.5 million over the next two seasons - making his contract a real bargain.
In other news, the Seahawks have been rumoured to be eyeing up Washington quarterback and Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Penix Jr during the offseason. These whispers have grown louder since the team brought on board his former playcaller, Ryan Grubb, as their new offensive coordinator.