The Las Vegas Raiders have been one of many groups most in want of a quarterback heading into the 2025 offseason, and they’re working to fill that hole by placing a commerce with the Seattle Seahawks for Geno Smith on Friday night time.
In change for Smith, the Raiders are sending a third-round draft choose again to Seattle.
Within the brief time period, it is smart for the Raiders. Smith is a transparent improve over what they’d on the place, and he has a historical past with new head coach Pete Carroll. That is the excellent news.
The dangerous information is it nonetheless leaves the Raiders with some severe long-term query marks on the place, and that would be the case whether or not they re-sign Smith past this season or not.
Signing him or not signing can each create its personal set of points.
Let’s begin with the cruel actuality that whereas Smith is a transparent improve over the Gardner Minshew-Aidan O’Connell duo the Raiders have been utilizing a 12 months in the past, he’s a step beneath the top-tier quarterbacks within the NFL.
Smith is nice. Possibly even, at occasions, excellent. He did a strong job resurrecting his profession in Seattle after being a backup for many of his profession and turning himself into an above-average starter.
The Raiders aren’t an above-average quarterback away from contending. Nevertheless, their lineup has vital holes, and Smith may not be sufficient to fill all and even a few of them. With a greater supporting solid than he may have in Las Vegas, the Seahawks have been solely a nine-win group the previous two seasons.
Suppose they re-sign him, which they’re reportedly fascinated about doing to make him their quarterback of the longer term. In that case, they may be a contract north of $40 million, given the going charge of beginning quarterback contracts within the NFL. That might be an enormous chunk of cash for a quarterback that may not be a participant that may get them nearer to rivalry. It may be a detriment to their long-term wage cap.
