Now that the Bucs have their offensive coordinator search settled with the hiring of former Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales, attention will turn to the team’s quarterback position. After Tom Brady retired on Feb. 1 after 23 NFL seasons – with the last three in Tampa – the Bucs need a new signal-caller. But even though the hiring of Canales instantly produced speculation that Geno Smith, his former quarterback in Seattle, would be Tampa Bay-bound, it seems unlikely.

Smith revived his previously stagnant career with a Pro Bowl season in 2022. After the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Broncos last offseason, it looked like a rebuild of sorts was on in the northwest. However, Smith stepped in and led the NFL in completion percentage (69.8%) while throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. He did so under the coaching of Canales, who now resides in Tampa. Smith is now a free agent, and there is some thought that he could follow his coach to Florida.

A reunion between Geno Smith and Dave Canales would also be a homecoming of sorts for the 32-year-old quarterback, as he was born in Miramar, Florida, and starred at Miramar High School before playing his college ball at West Virginia. But as comfortable of a landing spot as it might be for Smith, it doesn’t feel like a strong possibility. The Bucs’ cap situation is one reason why, but the larger reason is that it seems likely that the Seahawks and Smith will work out a deal to keep him in Seattle.

Seahawks QB Geno Smith and Bucs OC Dave Canales – Photo by: USA Today

Seahawks general manager John Schneider spoke about the idea of Smith and Canales joining forces in Tampa earlier this week, but didn’t seem worried about his team’s chances of retaining its quarterback.

“Obviously, Dave has a great relationship with Drew [Lock] and Geno,” Schneider said on Seattle Sports 710AM. “Shoot, he did a great job working with Geno (and) staying after practice with Drew. “Those guys would work their tails off for a good hour, hour and a half after practice. They’d be out there in the dark throwing the ball, working on footwork and ball carriage and everything. … (But) free agency doesn’t start until the middle of March, so there’s a huge period here where we have time to work through things.”

Seattle Seahawks QB Drew Lock. – Photo by: USA Today

If Geno Smith is off the table come March and the Bucs want to bring in a quarterback who has experience working with Canales, Seattle backup Drew Lock is also a free agent. Lock’s name isn’t one that will excite much of anybody at this point in his career, but the Bucs bringing in the 26-year-old on a cheap deal to compete with Kyle Trask and another free agent isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Lock hasn’t had the smoothest beginning to his NFL career. He was drafted out of Missouri by the Denver Broncos with the 42nd overall pick in the 2019 Draft. He threw for 1,020 yards and seven touchdowns to three interceptions in five games as a rookie, going 4-1. In 2020, Lock threw for 2,933 yards and 16 touchdowns to 15 interceptions before backing up Teddy Bridgewater for much of 2021. He threw for 787 yards and two touchdowns to two interceptions in six games that year.

Lock was then involved in the Wilson trade between Denver and Seattle last offseason. Geno Smith beat him out in the preseason quarterback battle, relegating him to backup duties. But he worked closely with Canales, and if the Bucs are intent on signing a quarterback who is familiar with their new offensive coordinator, his name could be in the mix.