The Las Vegas Raiders addressed their need for a starting quarterback by making a trade with the Seattle Seahawks that landed them veteran signal-caller Geno Smith.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Raiders will send a third-round pick (No. 92) in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Seahawks in exchange for Smith. It is the pick that Las Vegas received when it sent star wideout Davante Adams to the New York Jets last season.
After seeing below-average play from their quarterbacks in 2024, the Raiders were expected to either draft a quarterback or pursue free-agent options. Instead, the franchise opted to reunite Smith with head coach Pete Carroll.
Carroll brought Geno Smith as a backup in Seattle in 2019 and then gave him an opportunity to start after the team moved on from Russell Wilson ahead of the 2022 season. Smith responded with a Pro Bowl campaign that also saw him win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Smith just finished his most productive season as a pro, leading the Seahawks to a 10-7 record while completing 70.4% of his passes and throwing for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns. However, that was still not enough for the franchise to give him a new contract, which caused friction between the two sides.
Reportedly, the Raiders are already working on a new deal for Smith that will give him a salary between $40 million and $50 million annually.
The Seahawks, on the other hand, will likely find their new starting quarterback in free agency and are expected to make a run for Sam Darnold.
