The Las Vegas Raiders have made a significant move by acquiring veteran quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks, marking the first major trade of the NFL offseason just ahead of free agency. In exchange, Las Vegas will send a third-round pick to Seattle.
The trade reunites Smith, 34, with Raiders coach Pete Carroll, who played a key role in revitalizing Smith’s career in Seattle. After struggling in a backup role for several years, Smith became the Seahawks’ starting quarterback in 2022 following Russell Wilson’s trade.
He led the NFL in completion percentage and helped the Seahawks reach the playoffs. In 2024, Smith posted a career-high 70.4% completion rate, though he also threw 15 interceptions and took 50 sacks.
This move is part of Las Vegas’ effort to address their quarterback situation, as they hold the No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Draft and have struggled with quarterback consistency in recent years. The Raiders are expected to release Gardner Minshew, who started nine games last season, when the league year begins.
Meanwhile, Seattle, after parting ways with Smith, is expected to target free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold, 27, is coming off a career-rejuvenating season with the Minnesota Vikings, where he stepped in as the starting quarterback after J.J. McCarthy’s preseason injury. Darnold threw for 35 touchdowns and led the Vikings to their best regular-season record since 1998.
Currently, Sam Howell and Jaren Hall are the only quarterbacks on Seattle’s roster.
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