NFL free agency update: Geno Smith signs with Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers signed quarterback Geno Smith, hoping to provide some depth and competition behind Philip Rivers.
The Los Angeles Chargers are hoping he never has to play a single meaningful snap in 2018, but the team has signed Geno Smith to compete for a backup role behind Philip Rivers. Smith, 27, has thrown 29 touchdowns and 36 interceptions in his career, one that has been a disappointment on the whole.
After going 9-7, the Chargers are looking to shore up any potential weaknesses on the roster. Los Angeles was only a win away from going to the playoffs in 2017, and it has a great chance to get to the postseason with the AFC West in flux.
Smith was drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, where he played the first four years of his career. Last offseason, Smith stayed at MetLife Stadium but switched locker rooms, inking a one-year pact with the New York Football Giants.
Contract details
Smith was signed to a one-year deal worth $1 million, making him one of the cheapest backup quarterbacks in the league. Head coach Anthony Lynn has been constant in his praise for Cardale Jones, however, so Smith will have to earn the top reserve spot.
National reaction
I honestly hope Geno Smith is in the NFL forever.
— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) April 2, 2018
1. He's always entertaining/surrounded by drama
2. He thinks the earth is flat
3. There will always be a group that believes he's still an elite QB waiting to emerge and I will always lmao at that
Grade
The Chargers needed to add a third arm to the mix, and Smith fits the bill. He’s proven that he doesn’t belong in the shoes of a starter, playing poorly at times with the Jets and the Giants. However, Smith has some starting experience and should Rivers go down for a week or two, Smith might be able to hold down the fort.
Grade: C