5 unexpected NFL teams who should give Justin Fields a chance as a backup

4. Seahawks can establish Justin Fields as future beyond Geno Smith

The Seattle Seahawks brought Geno Smith back on his original $12.7 million salary for next season, but his future beyond 2024 is exceedingly unclear. Odds are Seattle will move on, now positioned to start a fresh chapter under new head coach Mike Macdonald. A lot of speculation ties Seattle to top NFL Draft prospects at the position — Michael Penix Jr. played in new OC Ryan Grubb's scheme at Washington — but there's no reason to rule out a trade.

With Drew Lock officially gone, the Seahawks need a backup quarterback. Fields doesn't necessarily fit with Grubb's vertical, air-it-out scheme, but talent often wins out in the NFL. There's no reason to believe Grubb is completely inflexible. Fields' unique ability to stretch defenses outside the pocket and improvise with his legs can open up a whole new side of the playbook.

In terms of age and contract value — even if the Seahawks simply pick up Fields' 2025 team option and take their time to decide on his future — it's hard to do better than the fourth-year Ohio State product. Smith's contract is easily removed from the books in 2025 — unlike Stafford's, for example — so the Seahawks can clear the runway for Fields after one season as an understudy.

Smith has made back-to-back Pro Bowls in Seattle. The Seahawks really unlocked his game and put him in a position to succeed. As far as supporting casts go, Fields couldn't ask for more than DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks will operate differently under a new regime, but that is a solid organizational fit for Fields.