No one can deny how well Geno Smith played for the Seattle Seahawks during the 2022 campaign. But even with the reigning NFL Comeback Player of the Year signed to a newly minted three-year, $75 million contract, the Seahawks must pursue all of their options at quarterback because they sit in a rare position to replace a competent starter with an elite talent.

Florida's Anthony Richardson is enticing enough to strongly consider the possibility of a deal.

Smith led the NFL with a 69.8 percent completion rate last season and set a franchise record with 4,282 passing yards. Despite that performance from the 32-year-old veteran, Seattle finished four games behind the San Francisco 49ers for first place in the NFC West.

Does the team's record fall entirely on the quarterback's shoulders? Of course not. The franchise needs to address other areas of the roster. But a high-profile Seahawks contingent has made the rounds for all of the top quarterback prospect throwing sessions, and whispers are growing into full-blown buzz.

"Speculation from league insiders during Florida's pro day is the Seattle Seahawks could be the team that leapfrogs the Indianapolis Colts and trades up with the Arizona Cardinals to secure Richardson," Pro Football Network's Tony Pauline reported Thursday.

The Athletic's Vic Tafur unintentionally corroborated Pauline's story when he wrote, "The buzz is that the Seahawks will jump up from No. 5 to No. 3 to grab either Richardson or [Will] Levis, as [C.J.] Stroud and [Bryce] Young are expected to go 1-2."

Either this information is a widely growing smokescreen, or legitimate interest exists within the Seahawks organization for a long-term solution at the game's most important position.

In order for this to happen, a lot of groundwork needs to be laid. As Tafur noted, expectations are built around Stroud and Young being selected by the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans, respectively.