When the Las Vegas Raiders traded for quarterback Geno Smith, the team knew exactly what they were getting.
Smith has familiarity with new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll from their time together with the Seattle Seahawks. He also has one year remaining on his current deal, with the Raiders absorbing all of his $31 million cap hit for this season. It gives the Raiders some level of stability as they piece together a long-term strategy at the quarterback position.
As it turns out, the Raiders may see Smith as much more than just a stopgap solution.
An NFL insider suggests that the Raiders are preparing for Smith to have a huge role in the organization.
According to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Raiders see Smith as their ‘quarterback of the future’ and are willing to offer him a long-term contract to keep in Las Vegas beyond the 2025 season.
Sources: The #Raiders plan to make Geno Smith their “QB of the future.” They have begun negotiating a long-term contract that will reflect that.
Not there yet, but headed toward Smith receiving a multi-year extension in Las Vegas. https://t.co/PX1mMQQY4H pic.twitter.com/Zfg5EOiT1D
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 8, 2025
Smith getting an extension before even playing a single snap for the Raiders would stand as another significant development in an offseason full of them for the Raiders. While details are still unclear, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that Smith is expecting $40-45 million per year on his next deal to stay in Las Vegas.
Geno Smith is expected to get a new deal with Las Vegas. He’s been looking to make between $40-$45 million a year.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 8, 2025
The idea of keeping Smith around sounds palatable in order to stop the revolving door the Raiders have had at quarterback since Derek Carr’s release in 2023, but offering him a massive extension this soon carries some risk worth considering.
Smith will turn 35 in October and, despite his familiarity with Carroll, it is yet to be determined how he jells with the Raiders. The Raiders also have to look at how poorly big-money extensions for quarterbacks yet to play a game with their team have turned out, with Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns being prime examples. New general manager John Spytek is going to have to make this decision soon, with his free agency and draft strategies shifting considerably if he offers Smith the extension at his preferred price point.
The Raiders did well to secure an answer at quarterback in Smith, but the next part of their decision is approaching faster than even they had anticipated.
