The Seattle Seahawks signed veteran free agent Geno Smith last week to add a third quarterback to the roster and compete with Paxton Lynch to back up starter Russell Wilson.
“We just want competition, we want the competition,” coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday after the team’s open OTA. “Geno was available and we thought it would be worth the shot. He made a great impression here starting us out so let the games begin.”
The Seahawks have struggled recently to find a solid backup for Wilson, shuffling the bench over the last few years. Similarly, Smith – a former second-round selection – has yet to find his place in the league, having spent time with the Jets, Giants and Chargers.
“He’s a good athlete, he’s got a good arm, he’s played a lot of football,” Carroll said. “We’ve seen enough of him to see that he’s got the style to play the game and all. Just need to see where he fits in.”
Seattle hosted a number of quarterbacks during the team’s rookie minicamp at the start of the month, but Carroll wasn’t satisfied with the production. The Seahawks have finally settled on two veteran options to compete for the job.
“We’ll let these guys battle it out and see how it goes,” Carroll continued. “Two really capable, talented guys to have a shot at it. I’m really thinking that’s as strong as we’ve been in terms of the competitiveness of the backup spot. So, looking forward to it.”
