Geno Smith is ready to lead the Seattle Seahawks again. He's not waiting for any doubters to write back. Instead, he's putting in the work to get the Hawks back into the playoffs. Pete Carroll is surely excited to see how his Pro Bowl QB does in his second season as the starter.

Carroll's confidence in Smith is not wavering —if anything, it's growing as the 32-year-old keeps balling out. He said that Smith's ability to get the ball downfield has been very promising, according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. The Seahawks are testing Smith and he's acing it.

“We’ve tested the secondary extensively with the ball downfield and he’s been able to handle all that,” Carroll said, via The Athletic. “He’s been aggressive – very aggressive. He’s really confident. He had a beautiful day (on Sunday). It’s not just dinking the ball around; we’re throwing the ball all over the yard and he’s able to handle all the situations.”

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Yes, it's just practice before the season. But this is quite an endorsement from Carroll, as the Seahawks' secondary is stuffed with high-end talent. Opening up the passing game even more is precisely what the Seahawks have to do in order to keep contending in NFC. Smith certainly has the playmakers around him and by the sounds of it, he's going to pair the collection of stud wideouts at his disposal with the freedom and aggression to get them the ball wherever they are.

Dugar notes that Smith and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are generating a solid connection together, a sign that the rookie could be in for a huge season. He also writes that Smith is playing more freely. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are still around and looking good. The Seahawks had the ninth-most points in the NFL last season but could be even better in 2023.

The Seahawks will find it tough to compete with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West but they should give them a tough fight, especially as they try to figure out their quarterback situation. Smith and the uber-talented Seahawks roster will give them and the rest of the conference heavyweights a run for their money.