Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith has not played up to expectations during his first season with the club. After an offseason contract dispute with the Seattle Seahawks, the team traded him to the Raiders to reunite him with Pete Carroll. The two found success together in Seattle, and the thought was that the Raiders could recapture this magic and finally compete in the game’s most competitive division.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. Geno Smith has not recaptured his Seahawks magic with the Raiders and has looked like one of the league’s worst quarterbacks. Through 10 games, the former second-round pick has completed 66.3% of his passes for 2,082 yards, 12 touchdowns, and a league-leading 13 interceptions. With competent backups in Kenny Pickett and Aidan O’Connell on the roster, some are wondering if Vegas will pull the plug on Smith and move forward with a new option under center.
Pete Carroll Speaks On Geno Smith, Raiders Future
Despite his struggles, head coach Pete Carroll recently said that he has no plans to bench Geno Smith and still believes the Raiders have the right man for the job.
“I continue to really believe in him,” Carroll said, via Ryan McFadden of ESPN. “I have no hesitation in telling you that. He’s an incredible player, and he’s busting his tail [off]. …He’ll come through for us. We gotta help him out more.”
The Raiders extended Geno Smith shortly after the trade, so benching him before his first season is over would mean admitting to a terrible decision. While his 2025 cap number is $40 million, it drops to $26.5 million next year, and the team could save $8 million by cutting him. If Smith is still on the roster by the start of the 2026 league year, we’ll know Carroll’s words are sincere. Until then, the team is basically stuck with the 12th-year quarterback.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
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