Raiders pull off shocking Geno Smith trade with Seahawks
While the Seattle Seahawks hoped to extend Geno Smith, he is officially on his way to the Las Vegas Raiders via trade, per Ian Rapoport on X.
“The #Seahawks are trading QB Geno Smith to the #Raiders, reuniting him with his coach Pete Carroll, per The Insiders, as Seattle hits reset,” Rapoport wrote. “It’s a third-round pick going to Seattle. And a new QB for Las Vegas.”
Although he’s a late-bloomer in his NFL career, Smith is headed to the Raiders to reunite with Pete Carroll.
After being selected with the 39th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Smith had his first 4,000-yard season in 2022 with the Seahawks under Carroll.
So, with the Raiders looking to upgrade at the quarterback position, Carroll got his guy.
For the price of just a third-round pick, the Raiders get a quarterback they’re comfortable enough with to pair with Carroll in his first season with the Raiders.
And considering the crop of quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, it’s not a bad idea to snag a veteran quarterback with familiarity with a coach’s system.
Smith signed with the Seahawks in 2020, acting as a backup for former Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson.
Once the Seahawks traded Wilson to the Denver Broncos in 2022, Smith was deemed the starter. And in each of those three seasons, Smith produced fairly.
- 2022: 17 starts, 69.8% completion (399/572), 4,282 passing yards, 30 passing TDs, 11 INTs
- 2023: 15 starts, 64.7% completion (323/499), 3,624 passing yards, 20 passing TDs, 9 INTs
- 2024: 17 starts, 70.4% completions (407/578), 4,320 passing yards, 21 passing TDs, 15 INTs
So, while Smith saw an influx of interceptions in 2024, he’s still a more-than-serviceable option for the Raiders heading into 2025.
Could Pete Caroll trade for DK Metcalf from Seahawks after Geno Smith?
Now, with Smith heading to Las Vegas, there’s a possibility that Carroll could continue his Seahawks reunion and trade for receiver DK Metcalf, too.
If the Raiders can trade for Smith and Metcalf while keeping their No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty could be a great pick for Las Vegas in late April.
Las Vegas already has one concrete receiving option in Brock Bowers, so now their offseason plans should revolve around surrounding Smith with weapons on offense.
Bowers is an impressive target, but it’s safe to say Jakobi Meyers might not be a No. 1 receiver.
But, with receiver options in the NFL Draft, free agency, and the trading market, the Raiders have options.
Maybe Carroll would want to trade for Cooper Kupp, adding him to their Smith-led offense.
Regardless of who they add or trade for, the Raiders found a short-term answer at quarterback: Geno Smith.