According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, just because the Seahawks are keeping Smith on the roster right now doesn’t necessarily mean he will be with the team come Week 1.
“Keeping Smith through Friday would guarantee his $12.7M base salary for 2024 but it wouldn’t necessarily guarantee he remains on Seattle’s roster. The Seahawks could conceivably trade him, along with that $12.7 million and the remainder of his contract, before March 18,”
Henderson posted on social media.
Schefter reported something similar, as well.
“The Seahawks believed that, in today’s market, with salaries soaring for starting quarterbacks, the right decision was to pay the money, per sources,” Schefter reported. “Now Geno Smith will represent a value to them – or any other team that decides to reach out to see if it can acquire Smith via trade. But Seattle now has locked in Smith, and Smith has locked in his $12.7 million.”