Seahawks' Geno Smith has 'full command of the offense' as potential starter

Even though people throughout the NFL community continue to believe the Seattle Seahawks will eventually land an advertised upgrade at the quarterback position either before or during the summer months, head coach Pete Carroll seems content having former Russell Wilson backup Geno Smith and 2019 second-round draft pick Drew Lock compete for the starting job during training camp and the preseason. 

Lock, acquired via the trade that sent Wilson to the Denver Broncos, was presumed to be atop the depth chart ahead of this year's draft if only because he is 25 years old and theoretically has the higher ceiling of the two. However, Carroll raised eyebrows when he declared last month that Smith "automatically is ahead" because he's so familiar with Seattle's offensive scheme. 

Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron praised Smith's ability "to step more in that leadership role" during what appears to be a legitimate competition. 

"So you just hear from him more, you hear from him a little bit more in the meetings, hear from him more out on the field in that leadership role. . . . I think the voice of leadership for Geno is something that you see more and more now, with just the way the roles are with our offense," Waldron explained. 

Waldron added about Smith:

"He’s got full command of the offense, knows everything that’s going on, and understands all the concepts, all the run game concepts as well." 

Earlier on Thursday, Florio noted that Waldron also refused to directly answer if both Smith and Lock will receive first-team practice reps in training camp. For now, the gig may be Smith's to lose.