Seahawks QB Geno Smith mitigates injury concerns after returning to practice

It seems Geno Smith's knee and hip issues were a minor setback after the Seattle Seahawks quarterback returned to practice on Monday.

Although Smith missed four straight practices last week, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald indicated the injury isn't a major concern.

"As far as I know, I think he's rolling," the rookie HC said when asked whether Smith would be a full-go at practices, via the team's website.

On Friday, NFL Media insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported that Smith underwent medical testing on his hip and knee, and the imaging showed no notable damage.

Smith avoiding a severe injury is excellent for the 33-year-old, especially after Seattle made multiple coaching changes this offseason. Along with hiring Macdonald to replace longtime head coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks also brought on new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Macdonald pointed out Smith needs reps in training camp and the preseason to better understand the new system.

"[He's] the guy that I thought he was? Again, I'm on the record with this, but the respect for who he is as a player, accuracy, operation, how he handles the guys," Macdonald said. "Yeah, and our relationship is still in the works. We've known each other for, what, five months now? We're in a good spot, and we're rolling."

Smith signed a three-year, $75M contract after winning 2022 Comeback Player of the Year but backtracked slightly last season. In 15 games, he completed 64.7% of his passes for 3,624 yards, 20 TDs, nine interceptions and an above-average 59.5 QBR.

However, Grubb could help Smith rebound in 2024 if he maximizes a talented receiving corps that includes WRs DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.