When Pete Carol was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders, you knew the “win now” mentality was going to be the plan for the oldest head coach in the league. You knew the Raiders would go in another direction with their quarterback room from last season that featured Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. Many thought the Raiders would sign free agent Russell Wilson and Carol was set for their own reunion back in their Seattle days. The Raiders inquired about Matthew Stafford. The Rams were not going to trade their starting veteran quarterback. The free agent waters had some other interesting names like Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, and if you have the oldest coach in the NFL… why not get the oldest Quarterback in the league in Aaron Rodgers. Instead the Raiders went with Carol’s other guy from his Seattle days and struck a deal with the Seahawks bringing Geno Smith to Vegas baby! The Raiders will give Seattle a 2025 3rd round pick and the 34 year old Smith will be set for reunion with his old coach from Seattle.

Geno Smith was originally drafted by the New York Jets back in the 2013 NFL draft in the 2nd round 39th overall. After going 8-8 in his rookie season, Smith struggled after his first year in the league with the Jets. After 4 seasons the Jets pulled the plug on Smith. Smith bounced around the next two seasons before finding a back role for the Seahawks, as he backed up Russell Wilson. The Raiders will be Smith’s 5th NFL organization as he suited up one season each with the Giants and Chargers. Smith finally got another shot at the starting job when Wilson and Pete Carol’s relationship soured and he was traded to Denver. For the Jets, Smith had a 12-18 record as a starter dressed in green. For Seattle he will leave with a winning record of 28-24 in 5 seasons. He made two pro-bowls in 2022 & 23 both with Seattle where he resurrected his NFL career. In 11 seasons Smith has played in 94 games and has a record of 40-42 as the starter. He has tallied up 19,143 passing yards for his career with 105 touchdown passes to 72 interceptions.

Why Geno Smith over Russell Wilson? Wilson would have not cost the Raiders to give up any draft capital. I think the Raiders could have gotten Wilson cheaper as well. Wilson played 11 games last year for the Steelers where he was 6-5 as the starter. Wilson tallied 2,482 passing yards completing 63.7% of his passes. He threw 16 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. Wilson had the Steelers in the driver’s seat to win the AFC North. The Steelers struggled at the end of the season and backed in the playoffs as a wild card, before they were quickly dispatched from the post-season after 1 game. Geno Smith completed 70.4% of his passes last season. He went 10-7 as a starter as he tallied up 4,320 passing yards. He threw 21 touchdown passes compared to 15 interceptions. He had Seattle in the driver’s seat in the NFC West, but the Seahawks would also fold down the stretch and miss the post-season. Wilson is 36 years of age and he can’t move like he used to back in his Seattle days. Smith is two years younger but has the ability to escape the pass rush with his legs. I think Smith has the stronger arm and can throw the ball down field better than Wilson can. Smith is more of that gunslinger mentality as Wilson is better at being careful with the football. Both guys are pretty much equal, but I would give Smith the edge. I think it comes down to Pete Carol probably has more trust with Smith than his old Quarterback he won the Superbowl with back in his Seattle days. I think Smith would get more respect in any locker room as Wilson is high maintenance and gets under most players’ skin with the special treatment he needs.

What is Seattle doing retooling or rebuilding? The Seahawks have one quarterback on their roster, former Washington Commander Sam Howell. In 2023 Howell chucked the ball 612 times that season which is by far the most passing attempts in the league. Howell has been in the league only 3 seasons and was back up to Geno Smith last year. He has played in 20 games and has a 5-13 record as a starter. In 2023 he tallied up 3,946 passing yards while throwing 21 touchdown passes but also threw 21 interceptions. He seems like Jameis Winston reincarnated. The Seahawks could be linked to Sam Darnold as their next starting quarterback. The Seahawks have freed up money by dealing Smith to the Raiders. Smith is the 19th highest paid QB in the league and is in his final year of a 3 year deal worth 75 million. The Seahawks were about 10 million apart with an extension for Smith. Seattle was looking to pay Smith 35 million per season, but his people wanted him to be paid 45 million per season. Seattle also has one of their top wide receivers in D.K. Metcalf who wants out and is seeking a trade. Even if you trade Metcalf, the Seahawks still have some interesting pieces for whoever their next starting quarterback will be. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a top receiver in the league. They have a pair of solid running backs in Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III. The Seattle defense played well last season.

The Raiders made a splash before this trade locking up their best asset on defense in Mad Maxx Crosby as he will be paid the most money by a player not being a quarterback in NFL history. The Raiders have brought in Chip Kelly to be the team’s offensive coordinator. Last year the Raiders ranked 29th in the NFL averaging 18.2 points per game. Kelly has had successful offenses that he had run in the NFL. Kelly was not a good head coach in the NFL. Kelly is most known for his exploding offenses at the college level. The Raiders have one of the best tight ends in the league. Brock Bowers may be the newest Travis Kelce in the entire NFL. Bowers in his rookie season caught 112 passes for 1,191 receiving yards and 5 touchdown catches. The Raiders will need another wide receiver. The one they currently had in Jakobi Meyers did have a nice season as well catching 87 balls for just over 1,000 yards and he caught 4 touchdowns. The Raiders will need a better running game than what they had last year. If the Raiders can add a few more guys to this high tempo offense Kelly likes to run, things may have gotten even more interesting in the AFC West.

Where does veteran Geno Smith fit in the pecking order of the AFC West at the quarterback position? You have to still rank Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs number one. Is Chargers Justin Herbert number two? His performance in the post-season last year versus Houston was weak. The Rise of Bo Nix for the Broncos may be the 2nd best QB in the division. Herbert and Smith could equal out behind Nix and Mahomes. The head coaching in this division is unbelievable. Remember the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos made the post-season last year leaving only the Raiders at home from the AFC West. Andy Reid, Sean Peyton, and Jim Harbaugh all explain why three teams made the post-season. Pete Carol and the Raiders are behind the 8-ball looking in, but today they improved their team with Smith behind center. The Raiders will need more pieces to be able to leap frog some of these division rivals. For the long haul I see the Raiders getting better as a team. They may grab a wild card spot next year or the year after. The Raiders and post-season don’t go together like the days of “just win baby” which now was decades ago. I don’t see the Raiders winning a Superbowl with Geno Smith as their quarterback. Smith is nowhere close to being the Rich Gannon style of QB who blossomed like Geno late in his career and led the Raiders to a Superbowl appearance. The Raiders need a true number 1 QB to go along with the rise of a Max Crosby and Brock Bowers. It is always good to talk about the silver and black finally getting their act together.