Seahawks waive Paxton Lynch, give Geno Smith the job of backing up Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson’s backup will be Geno Smith.
The Seahawks informed Paxton Lynch on Friday they were waiving him, according to multiple reports. That gives the No.-2 quarterback job to Smith.
The former starter for the New York Jets and Giants who outplayed Lynch this preseason.
The move will become official Saturday. The team must trim its 90-man preseason roster to 53 players for the start of the regular season by 1 p.m. Saturday.
The team signed the Denver Broncos’ first-round draft choice from 2016 in January.
The big (6-foot-7) thrower from the University of Memphis started just four games for the Broncos, two in his rookie season and two more in 2017, before they waived him this past September. Lynch was out of football during the 2018 season.
This spring in organized team activities and minicamp practices, and again during training camp and preseason games, Lynch was an impressive natural passer when his feet were set and he threw on time. But when defensive pressure or coverage forced Lynch to have to move his feet, his throwing accuracy consistently suffered.
Smith played through a cyst on his left knee in the first preseason game, then residual soreness last weekend at the Los Angeles Chargers and another tweak of the knee in Thursday night’s preseason finale against Oakland. He showed a commanding presence in the huddle and poise on the field throughout the preseason.
Smith completed 18 of 34 passes this preseason for 282 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, five sacks behind a porous backup offensive line and on a pained knee. He had a passer rating of 97.92. A rating of 158.3 is perfect.
Lynch was 18 for 37, 176 yards with one touchdown passing, one rushing and a passer rating of 71.9.
Smith just looked more like an NFL starting quarterback.
“He looks in control of the offense. He gets it,” coach Pete Carroll said after Smith completed 4 for 7 passes for 107 yards and two exquisitely thrown touchdown passes in the first half Thursday night against the Raiders.
“He really understands it, so that’s a real positive.”
Lynch went 1 for 7 passing for 4 yards and was sacked for a loss of 10 yards Thursday night playing the final two-plus quarterback after Smith.
Of course, the Seahawks don’t plan on Smith playing this season. Wilson hasn’t missed an in-season practice let alone a game in his seven-year career, all as Seattle’s starting quarterback.
Smith felt pain in his knee late in the second quarter Thursday when he got rolled on from behind while getting sacked.
“Feels fine right now,” Smith said late Thursday. “Really scary incident there. I got rolled up on. I just had to take a second there. Hopefully, everything is all good. We may have to take an MRI.
“We’ll see.”
We just saw. Waiving Lynch Friday indicated the Seahawks are satisfied Smith’s knee is fine to begin the regular season as Wilson’s backup Sept. 8 against Cincinnati.
This story was originally published August 30, 2019 at 5:47 PM with the headline "Seahawks waive Paxton Lynch, give Geno Smith the job of backing up Russell Wilson."
