The Las Vegas Raiders have their new quarterback, and it’s someone head coach Pete Carroll is very familiar with.
Geno Smith has been traded by the Seattle Seahawks to the Raiders in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick, according to multiple reports.
Las Vegas was always expected to add a quarterback this offseason after releasing Gardner Minshew and going through quarterback troubles the past couple seasons, which included Jimmy Garoppolo and Aidan O’Connell in the mix.
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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Instead of tapping a free agent, or waiting until the 2025 NFL Draft, they made a blockbuster deal with the Seahawks, a team seemingly looking to shake up its own roster, to land the veteran signal caller.
Now, this isn’t to say the Raiders, owners of the sixth overall pick, still won’t take a quarterback in this year’s Draft.
One of the main reasons why that could still be the case is that Smith only has one more year left on his contract, and ESPN reports the deal was done without an extension in place, meaning he’s set for free agency in 2026.
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While the deal hasn’t been made official yet, Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who just became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a new extension in Las Vegas, shared his ecstatic thoughts on the news.
It’s also a reunion in “Sin City,” as new head coach Pete Carroll and Smith get back together in the same building.
When Smith came over to the Seahawks in 2020, Carroll was in his 11th season leading Seattle on the sidelines. Then, Carroll oversaw Smith’s career-altering campaign in 2022, where he was a Pro Bowler, throwing for a career-high 4,282 yards with 30 touchdowns to 11 interceptions.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll talks with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at State Farm Stadium. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
The season cemented Smith’s spot as the team’s starting quarterback moving forward, and he’s held that role for the past two seasons. Carroll, though, was let go after the 2023 season, and stayed out of coaching in 2024.
The 73-year-old was brought back into the NFL mix as the Raiders conducted their head coaching search for the second straight season, and a familiar face at the most important position on the gridiron is the direction the team is heading.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks, a team that released veteran receiver Tyler Lockett and has D.K. Metcalf requesting a trade, appear to be tearing things down a bit as they let their franchise quarterback walk.
That means they’re immediately a contender for free agent quarterbacks like Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers and others searching for a new team.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) hands the ball to running back Zach Charbonnet (26) against the Chicago Bears during the first quarter at Soldier Field. (Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images)
Smith led the Seahawks to his best regular-season record since being named starter, going 10-7 on the year. However, despite those efforts with Mike Macdonald as the team’s new head coach, the Seahawks missed the playoffs.
Despite a rollercoaster ride, Smith reset his career-high in passing yards, notching 4,320, which also happened to be a franchise record. He threw for 21 touchdowns to 15 interceptions as well.
Despite just one playoff appearance in Seattle as a starter – a loss in the wild card round in 2022 – Smith has proven to get the job done in clutch moments. He led the Seahawks to four game-winning drives, and that ties him with Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes with nine over the past two seasons.
Both Smith and Carroll will hope he can drop that interception number heading into 2025, as it ranked third-most in the NFL last season.
Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
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Speaking of Macdonald, he consistently backed Smith despite questions about his future with the franchise, including last month where he said, “Geno’s our quarterback. I don’t understand the conversation. It’s pretty obvious this guy is a heck of a quarterback.”
But a total shock of a trade has gone down, altering both franchises heading into the new league year, which kicks off March 12 when free agents are officially allowed to sign with teams they’ve talked to during the legal tampering period, beginning on March 10.
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