THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Seahawks brass knows next move at QB, even if fans don't

Can Geno Smith quarterback a championship team?

The Seahawks are faced with a lot of questions after their 41-23 playoff loss to San Francisco, but …

That’s the big one.

It’s the whole enchilada going forward, not just for 2023 but the seasons beyond that.

Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider have to decide on their quarterback position before the NFL draft.

Everything they do in acquiring talent for years down the road — through the draft, trades or free agency — depends on the future of Geno Smith in Seattle.

So, what do the Seahawks know, right now?

Well, they can start with the certainty that Smith, who is an unrestricted free agent, wants to stay in Seattle.

“I want to be here,” he said after the defeat down in California.

“The town, the city, the team, coach Carroll, the organization — they all embraced me. You know, I was a guy who probably could have been out of the league.

“They embraced me, at a time when not many people were, and that means a lot to me.”

GENO ALSO made it clear that he felt the Seahawks had the nucleus of a championship caliber team, and he wanted to lead it.

“I still think the sky is the limit,” he said.

“Win or lose, I believe in this team. I believe in this locker room. I believe in these coaches. I believe in the organization. I believe in the city of Seattle. Everybody. I believe we’ve got to keep going.

“We’ll be back.”

That certainly sounds like a QB who took a somewhat flawed team to the playoffs, but believes its goals can be considerably higher with personnel additions and better execution with the players already on the roster.

“I’m here for the long haul,” Smith concluded.

We can discuss that possibility in a minute, but two things are certain …

First, Smith had a Pro Bowl season, led the NFL in completion percentage, and won over the locker room.

Geno’s teammates want him back.

What’s more, Carroll and Schneider saw proof last weekend that you don’t need a Hall of Fame quarterback to challenge for the Super Bowl.

The 49ers are still steamrolling along with third-stringer Brock Purdy at QB.

The team has so many weapons — on each side of the ball — that Purdy’s main job is to be accurate when necessary, but mostly … don’t screw things up.

Watching the 49ers, your first thought is that Smith is more than good enough if he’s surrounded by talent.

And …

We’ve been over this a million times, but the Seahawks are a good young team with a boatload of draft choices coming up — including the No. 5 overall and another four picks within the first 85.

The Seahawks are in a position to land plenty of good players, or …

Grab a gifted quarterback on a rookie salary.

THE SECOND item in any decision about Smith includes his age (32) and what his salary might be over the next few years.

Geno naturally believes he’s proven himself as a QB1 in the National Football League.

He’s right.

But is he right for the Seahawks?

If he were six or seven years younger, this would be a no-brainer.

Even in an era where elite athletes play far longer at something close to their top level, trying to take a giant step forward from a 9-8 season (and wild-card playoff loss) with a veteran QB would be unusual.

In this case, it might come down to Smith’s asking price.

If Geno hit the open market, there are so many teams desperate for even average quarterback play, he surely could command something north of $30 million per year, over three or four years.

It’s worth noting that the franchise tag for the position will be roughly $31.8 million this season.

Smith played for $7 million this year, and would earn a significant raise in Seattle — but how much?

IF SMITH were to take a reasonable deal (say, $65 million over four years), he would leave the Seahawks with considerable cap space to help fill up the roster with the kind of athletes that can slug it out with the 49ers, Chiefs, and all the rest.

If that paycheck is just too low for a guy who is in demand — you could see maybe a dozen teams jumping at the chance to grab Geno Smith — perhaps the Hawks could work a sign-and-trade, as they did with Frank Clark.

If they used Geno as an asset, we’re assuming there’s a quarterback in this year’s draft that Schneider has identified as a genuine prize.

And/or …

Remember that Carroll, who exaggerates occasionally but never really lies, has said over and over that he’s been truly impressed with Drew Lock — who is ALSO a free agent — and that Pete wouldn’t have any fear of test-driving the former Bronco as QB1 on a loaded Seattle team.

Finally, if there’s a mid-round quarterback that they fancy in this coming draft, the Hawks could let him apprentice under Smith (or Lock) and take the reins from there — as Kansas City did with Patrick Mahomes, who spent a season being tutored by Alex Smith.

Again, though, the price would have to be right.

There are bundles of options here.

To answer this quarterback riddle, start here …

The Seahawks must decide if they can picture Geno Smith running the show on a team that’s aiming for the Super Bowl.

But …

I’ll tell you a secret, OK?

Pete and John know exactly how they want to play this.

I said that same thing in the midst of the Russell Wilson chaos, and I’ll repeat it now.

The Seahawks already have a plan.

Email: [email protected]

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”