Whispers emerged in early March suggesting that the Las Vegas Raiders, in want of an improve at quarterback, weren’t all that occupied with signing Sam Darnold, the highest signal-caller of this yr’s free-agency class.
For a bit printed Thursday, The Athletic’s Michael Silver supplied extra details about why the Raiders finally selected to accumulate Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this offseason.
“The Seahawks’ pursuit of Darnold snuck up on many NFL observers and proceeded in rapid-fire style,” Silver wrote. “Whereas some believed the Las Vegas Raiders would attempt to signal Darnold, minority proprietor Tom Brady — a seven-time Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback whose opinion held nice sway — was not in favor of that method, in accordance with a supply acquainted with the franchise’s inside discussions. In the meantime, Smith, searching for a profitable extension from the Seahawks, reacted coldly to the staff’s preliminary supply. The Raiders, having lately employed former Seattle coach Pete Carroll, emerged as a possible commerce associate.”
Stories from the spring detailed how Brady was closely concerned within the Raiders’ offseason selections relating to their quarterback state of affairs. In response to Dan Pompei of The Athletic, TB12 favored how Smith “can course of and throw the soccer.” After the Raiders signed Smith to a two-year, $85.5M extension that included $66.5M assured, Brady reportedly instructed the 34-year-old that his “determination making” and “management” have been among the many causes Las Vegas went in that course.
In response to Pro Football Reference, Darnold completed the 2024 common season ranked fifth within the league with 4,319 passing yards, fifth with 35 landing passes and sixth amongst certified gamers with a 102.5 passer score. To check, Smith was fourth with 4,320 yards by means of the air, tied for thirteenth with 21 passing touchdowns and nineteenth with a 93.2 passer score.
That mentioned, Darnold played poorly because the Minnesota Vikings’ QB1 within the membership’s greatest video games of the season — a Week 18 loss on the Detroit Lions that decided the No. 1 seed for the playoffs and a wild-card playoff defeat in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams. One can not help however surprise if these outings satisfied Brady that Darnold hasn’t utterly kicked his behavior of seeing “ghosts” throughout video games.
Regardless of how he ended his tenure in Minnesota, Darnold acquired a three-year, $100.5M contract from the Seahawks again in March.
Silver’s replace appears to point that previous reports about Brady “operating” the Raiders whereas serving as Fox’s lead in-game NFL analyst have been not less than considerably correct.
