NFC Notes: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks, Geno Smith

Apr 26, 2023

For Seahawks QB Geno Smith, the encore to his breakout 2022 season started immediately after the team's playoff loss to the 49ers. Smith didn't take any time off, instead choosing to stay in Seattle and train as if the season was still going on for another few weeks until the Super Bowl. That relentless pace continued this offseason, with Smith dialing in on a few areas of his game like pocket movement and playmaking on third down and in the red zone.

"The most impressive thing, he showed up for our offseason program in what I felt like was midseason form," Seahawks OC Shane Waldron said via Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. "His arm was ready to go, and just physically, he was in great shape. He was ready to take on the offseason program, and not in a build-up-to-it kind of mode. He was ready to go right from the start. The one thing I’ve seen Geno continually do the last few years is really be committed the older he gets, outside of just throwing the ball, to the physical preparation and conditioning."

Waldron added Smith's work ethic has bled over to the rest of the team who saw the phenomenal shape he reported to OTAs in. The whole team is itching to take another step forward after a promising 2022 season and Smith says it shows on the field.

"Just the way we’re competing on the field, it's OTAs and guys are acting like we got a game on Sunday," Smith said. "It's really becoming who we are. So I’m very pleased with that. I don't like to jinx stuff, so I want to see it on Sundays, but I’m very happy with the way these guys are working. … It's in the meeting rooms, it's in the cafeteria, it's in the weight room, it's on the field, it's in the classroom, it's straight competition. It's all love, but it's like, ‘Shoot, man, the defense is trying to destroy us in OTAs, and we’re trying to do the same thing, and it's months away from training camp and the season.’"

Waldron adds he has zero doubts that the best is yet to come for Smith even though he's a 10-year veteran.

"I thought that was that example of the guy starting to get more and more opportunities, and you start to see what his true ability is," Waldron said. "And then last year he gets a full season to start. Based on [his history], the more chances he gets, he's still a guy that's on the rise, he's not at the peak of where he thinks he can be or we think he can be. The more chances, the more opportunities, I think he's gonna continue to get better."

Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!