The Las Vegas Raiders have left little doubt that quarterback Geno Smith is their man.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Smith is signing a two-year, $85.5M extension that features $66.5M assured. The deal will maintain him in Las Vegas by way of the 2027 season.
Earlier than he signed the extension on Thursday, league insiders questioned whether or not Vegas would lengthen Smith.
“They’ll franchise him twice, so why would they lock into him unnecessarily?” an govt advised The Athletic’s Mike Sando in a narrative printed Wednesday. “[Minority owner] Tom Brady is just not going to tear it up and provides him $45M per 12 months. They need to go 12 months to 12 months.”
Committing to Smith — who turns 35 on Oct. 10 — carries danger for the Raiders. In three seasons because the Seattle Seahawks beginning QB, the turnover-prone passer tossed 11 interceptions or extra twice.
Nonetheless, outdoors of Smith, the Raiders lack one other high quality starter on their roster, which is one key reason they acquired him in a commerce with the Seahawks in March. Backup QB Aidan O’Connell has a 7-10 beginning document in two seasons with Vegas.
Plus, new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll trusts Smith, who was a full-time starter for 2 seasons in Seattle below Carroll.
“When it got here time to get it, it was automated that we might take a shot at [Smith],” Carroll mentioned Monday, by way of ESPN’s Ryan McFadden. “Thankfully, Seattle was prepared to pay attention, and [general manager] John Spytek [made] his first big-time deal. We pulled it off in precisely the way we needed to. [Smith] provides us a fantastic kick-start to what is going on on.”
The Raiders want a QB who can increase their ceiling after they went 4-13 in 2024. Smith can try this when he performs mistake-free. Over the previous three seasons, he has 71 landing passes.
Vegas giving Smith an extension eliminates a possible distraction for the QB, which might assist him keep sharp in 2025.
