Seahawks HC Pete Carroll: Geno Smith 'automatically ahead' of Drew Lock

© Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith.

The Seattle Seahawks began a new era when they agreed to trade one-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos in March. As part of that deal, Seattle acquired signal-caller Drew Lock from Denver, and many have assumed the 2019 second-round draft pick is atop the depth chart heading into the summer months. 

It appears that's not necessarily the case. 

Seattle officially re-signed Geno Smith last month, and Smith is currently the quarterback with the most experience playing under head coach Pete Carroll on the team's roster. Smith filled in last fall when Wilson was injured, and Carroll told reporters on Sunday the veteran is in the lead regarding the club's quarterback competition. 

"They are really focused to show well," Carroll said of his quarterbacks, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "These guys understand what’s at stake, and the [competition] of it all. And so they were really tuned in. They’re giving everything they’ve got, everything they were doing, from the communication part of it, they’re studying extra, they’re getting in early they’re trying to make sure that they put them themselves in the best position. It’s really obvious. 

"Geno has come back. Like we said, he has so much command of what we’re doing, that he just automatically is ahead. He’s trying to ride that and build on that. I’m proud of the way he’s taking to it." 

ESPN's Dianna Russini reported last week the Seahawks "have no interest in" trading for Cleveland Browns wantaway quarterback Baker Mayfield, who lost his job when Cleveland landed Deshaun Watson in March. Mayfield is owed $18.858 million of fully guaranteed salary for 2022, and it's widely believed Seattle would be among teams interested in signing him if he's ultimately cut by Cleveland this summer.

For now, however, Carroll sounds prepared to start Smith in September unless Lock wins the job during the preseason. 

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