The Las Vegas Raiders are committing big money to their most important player. According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the Raiders and quarterback, Geno Smith, have agreed to a two-year, $85.5 million extension that will keep the signal caller in Las Vegas through the 2027 season. His signing gives the Raiders a chance to build around Smith and help him see the same success he saw during his time with the Seattle Seahawks.
Smith was traded to the Raiders from the Seattle Seahawks after last season, reuniting him with his former head coach Pete Carroll. He started all 17 games for Seattle in 2024 and led them to a 10-7 record, but struggled with turnovers, throwing 15 interceptions which was the second-highest total of his career. Now, he gets a fresh start in Vegas where he will look to help the Raiders return to the playoffs.
Geno Smith’s Journey to Joining the Raiders
The second quarterback taken in the 2013 NFL Draft, Smith was taken 39th overall by the New York Jets, where he spent the first four seasons of his career. Earning the starting quarterback job as a rookie struggles over the course of his first two seasons caused him to lose the job, eventually leading him to spend his last two seasons with the Jets as a backup Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Prior to the 2017 season, Smith was traded to the New York Giants, where he spent a season as the backup to Eli Manning. After a season with the Giants, Smith was shipped to the Los Angeles Chargers for the 2018 season where he backed up Philip Rivers. Then in 2019, Smith was traded to Seattle and spent a few seasons as the backup to Russell Wilson, eventually taking over the starting job in 2022 when Wilson left for the Denver Broncos.
Final Thoughts
In giving the contract extension to Smith, the Raiders are showing that they not only have full faith that Smith is the solution to their struggles, but that they also believe that he can continue to play at the high level he has played at since taking over as Seattle’s starter. His veteran presence and strong leadership are something that a rebuilding franchise like the Raiders needs and his familiarity with Carroll’s system could make the transition seamless and give the Raiders the chance to surround him with top-tier talent.
