The day began with good, relieving news for Geno Smith and his Seahawks.

It also ended positively, with the Pro Bowl quarterback smiling and joking with kids while signing autographs for them.

In between, his team continued to see what life is without him as their starter.

Erratic.

Imaging tests from Thursday night on Smith’s banged-up knee and hip showed no significant damage. A league source told The News Tribune Friday morning the Seahawks do not anticipate Smith missing a “significant” amount of time, perhaps another couple practices. Smith got hurt when a defensive teammate accidentally ran into him at the end of a play in practice Tuesday.

The Seahawks have a practice and a fan festival at Lumen Field in downtown Seattle Saturday, then a players’ day off Sunday. It’s logical to presume Smith will use the rest day Sunday to have at least five consecutive days of rest and not practicing until at least Monday in the 11th practice of training camp, if then.

Friday afternoon, he missed practice for the third consecutive day. Backup Sam Howell was again the number-one quarterback for the ninth practice of Seattle’s camp.

Smith, 33 entering his 12th NFL season and third as Seattle’s starter replacing traded Russell Wilson, came out of the team’s facility onto the field to watch the final scrimmage portion of practice. He stood next to quarterbacks coach Charles London and third QB P.J. Wallace watching Howell run the starting offense scrimmaging against the starting defense.

After practice, Smith talked at length with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and others in the middle of the field. Then he walked off it to small-voiced chants of “Geno! Geno!” from fans lining the perimeter.

Smith smiled and joked with the throng of mostly kids. He bent to sign jerseys, footballs and caps thrust from small hands.

Sam Howell’s camp

Howell, 23, has been better this week. In the first four practices of Seattle’s camp, the QB who led the NFL last season with 21 interceptions as the Washington Commanders’ starter was alarmingly off target with his passes.

Though improved, Howell, whom Seattle acquired for two draft picks this spring, has remained off target at times this week. Just not as often.

Now that he’s throwing with starting receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba regularly, Howell has often strung together solid and very good throws. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, like the Blue Angels flying overhead intermittently the last two days of camp, Howell has sailed a WAY overthrown pass 5 or more yards above and beyond his intended receivers. He did that again multiple times Friday, including to the 6 foot-4 Metcalf, who at 238 pounds can leap more than 40 inches.

Friday, Howell threw two interceptions. One was to Tre Brown, during singularly matched receiver-on-cornerback drills, when Howell deeply overthrew wide receiver Easop Winston Jr. down the right sideline. The other was to Julian Love during 11-on-11 scrimmaging.

“I think Sam’s been doing a great job,” lead tight end Noah Fant, 26, said following practice Friday. “Young guy…good dude. Great player…we’re excited to have him.

“With Geno hurt, I think he’s stepped in and done a great job for us. And we’ve been putting the ball in the end zone and doing the things that we need to do.

“Could be a little bit cleaner. But, you know, we’ll get there. We’ll get there.”

The season begins Sept. 8 when the Denver Broncos come to Lumen Field.