Here’s how much it would cost to franchise tag Geno Smith in 2023

Feb 1, 2023 - 2:16 AM

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This week, the NFL announced what their official salary numbers will be if a team decides to place the franchise tag on one of their players.

They also announced what the price will be on the transition tag, meaning a player is guaranteed a one-year deal worth a top-ten salary at their position by the team, as opposed to the top-five salary at their position that the franchise tag guarantees.

It is well known that there is strong mutual interest in both Geno Smith returning to the Seahawks, and the Seahawks retaining their Pro Bowl quarterback. There will almost certainly be extension talks during the off-season between the Seahawks and Smith’s camp, but if a deal can’t be reached, Seattle still has the ability to use the franchise tag, an option they may very well exercise if the circumstances reach that point.

But $32.4 million would be a massive cap hit to the Seahawks, who currently have $31 million in cap space and could greatly benefit from using some of that cap flexibility to fill some other voids on their roster this off-season.

It will undoubtedly be a story to watch as the spring and summer progress.