The Las Vegas Raiders continue to make waves this offseason, locking down quarterback Geno Smith with a hefty contract extension that aims to solidify their position under center after a year of quarterback troubles. According to a report by FOX5 Las Vegas, Smith agreed to a two-year extension worth $75 million, and including incentives could reel in upwards of $85 million, Smith's deal guarantees him more than $66 million, ensuring he remains a Raider for the coming three seasons.
New general manager John Spytek, who facilitated Smith's move to Vegas by trading a third-round pick to Seattle, is probably expecting the new recruit to recreate some of the magic he conjured up north, where he set a franchise record for Seattle with 4,320 passing yards and a stellar 70.4% completion rate. Despite throwing 21 touchdowns and racking up impressive individual stats, Smith's arm wasn't enough to carry the Seahawks into the postseason. The Raiders' offseason workout program, which kicks off next week, will be our first glimpse at how he fits into the Sin City squad.
Last season's struggle with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell at the helm had the Raiders craving for stability at the quarterback position – a need dire enough for them to pry away the veteran Smith from the Seahawks. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that this move has committed Smith to the team through the 2027 season, rounding out his contract to an impressive total that includes one year and $31 million from his previous deal with Seattle.
The Raiders are drawing clear lines in the sand. They want to compete, and they want to compete now, which shows in their aggressive pursuit and now the contractual commitment to Smith. Smith's jedi-level precision has him ranked first in off-target percentage and fourth in completion percentage across the league over the past three seasons, in stark contrast to the Raiders' quarterbacks, which surprisingly landed between the back-end 20's in the same stats, according to research by ESPN. Pete Carroll, now coaching the Raiders who called Smith an "immediate fix" at the QB position, isn't dismissing the idea of drafting another quarterback altogether, but it seems clear that for now, Smith is their guy.
With the Raiders ready to kick things into gear and a quarterback roster suddenly boasting credibility, it's going to be a season worth watching to see if Smith's mid-career resurgence is the spark that rekindles the Raiders' fiery spirit. After all, Geno Smith did manage to breathe new life into a Seahawks team, despite not being able to take them all the way, now it's the desert's turn to see if he can truly lead a team through the grueling NFL journey, where only the toughest and smartest survive, and perhaps, thrive.
