"He's ahead, he's been in the lead for all the obvious reasons and he's holding onto it " - Pete Carroll on Seattle Seahawks' QB race

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll recently made an interesting admission about the quarterback race in Seattle, stating that Geno Smith is currently the frontrunner.

The Seattle Seahawks trotted Russell Wilson out as their starting quarterback for most games since he was drafted in 2012. That came to an end this offseason, though, as the Seahawks shipped Wilson to Denver for Drew Lock, Shelby Harris, Noah Fant and a host of draft picks.

That leaves the quarterback position insecure for the first time in about a decade. Drew Lock, who started quite often during his tenure with the Broncos, was tipped to take over for Wilson at the start of the season, but Carroll has suggested that Geno Smith leads the quarterback race at this point in time.

“Geno continues to be on top. He’s ahead. He’s been in the lead for all the obvious reasons, and he’s holding onto it and doing a really good job of battling," Carroll said during a press conference.

The Seahawks coach was quick to compliment both quarterbacks though, saying:

"Both guys are communicating beautifully. They’re learning well. We don’t have any issues with anything we’re trying to do. There are no issues here where we have to ‘Oh, we can’t quite do this or that with this guy or that guy.' It isn’t like that. They’re very talented arm-wise, and the ability to throw the ball down the field is there. So, let the games begin."

The competition will likely go down to the wire, with preseason games being used to determine the Week 1 starter.

---

Why Seattle Seahawks' Geno Smith might outplay newcomer Drew Lock

Jacksonville Jaguars v Seattle Seahawks

Carroll's admission comes as a bit of a surprise. Geno Smith has mostly been a backup throughout his career. Lock, on the other hand, has been in and out of the starting lineup, with 21 starts in three seasons.

According to Carroll, the familiarity with the Seahawks system might tilt the scales in Smith's favor.

“He’s just doing things right. He handles the system. He’s making the checks at the line of scrimmage. He’s able to control the protections and working with [center] Austin [Blythe]. Those guys are hitting it really well, and he’s just really talented."

The Seahawks head coach went on to say that neither quarterback has been perfect, but Smith maintains the lead.

"He’s made great throws every day. I’m still looking for them to really come in, and really own it, and put days together where they don’t have any negative plays, the plays that they wish they had back. So, in a sense, there’s been openings for both guys by not having the complete day, getting everything done, and finishing the day close to perfect.”

This will be an interesting battle to watch throughout the offseason.

---

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Pro Football Talk and H/T Sportskeeda.