By Tashan Reed, Vic Tafur, Dianna Russini, Michael-Shawn Dugar and Mark Puleo

The Las Vegas Raiders traded a 2025 third-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in return for quarterback Geno Smith on Friday, according to league sources.

The Raiders were widely expected to acquire a starting-caliber quarterback this offseason, but the question was how they’d go about doing so. Armed with the second-most cap space in the league and the No. 6 pick in the 2025, they had the resources to pursue a veteran, a rookie or some combination of both.

While their pursuit of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford ultimately failed, the Raiders’ aggression in trying to get a deal done was a clear signal that they preferred to roll with a veteran starter in 2025 rather than a rookie quarterback. The move to land Smith only confirms that.

After missing out on Stafford last week, the Raiders brass — including general manager John Spytek, coach Pete Carroll and minority owner Tom Brady — congregated at team headquarters in Henderson, Nev. this week, according to league sources. Finalizing a three-year extension for defensive end Maxx Crosby on Wednesday was a priority, but so was figuring out the backup plan at quarterback. The entire coaching staff wasn’t included in the quarterback meetings, according to league sources, but offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and quarterback coach Greg Olsen were. Those meetings are when discussions about acquiring Smith intensified, according to league sources.

Smith thrived under Carroll

The former second-round pick had a rough start to his career. He became a Day 1 starter in 2013 with the New York Jets and maintained that role in 2014, but lost his job in 2015 after suffering a fractured jaw in training camp. He wouldn’t start multiple games in a season again until he was called upon to relieve then-Seahawks quarterback Wilson and made three starts in 2021.

Carroll and the Seahawks saw enough then to feel comfortable trading Wilson the following offseason and turning to Smith as the full-time starter in 2022. Smith proved them right as he made the Pro Bowl and was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year that season.

Smith was rewarded with a three-year, $75 million contract that offseason and made the Pro Bowl again in 2023. While his play slipped in 2024, he made it clear he wanted a new contract this offseason, anyway, because he was headed into the final season of his deal and had no guaranteed money remaining.

For the Raiders, this is about as good of an outcome as they could’ve hoped for this offseason. After benching — and ultimately releasing — longtime starter Derek Carr in 2022, they cycled through six different starting quarterbacks, none of which came close to matching Carr’s level of play.

It can be debated where Smith ranks among NFL quarterbacks, but he’s undoubtedly an upgrade over what the Raiders have gotten out of the position since parting ways with Carr. The roster still needs a lot of work to be able to compete in 2025, but their chances of doing so just got a lot better.

Smith has a base salary of $14.8M in 2025 and will almost certainly want a significant raise or an extension. The Raiders have more than $80.8M in cap space according to Over the Cap, so they have plenty of money to get it done.

A sudden turn for the Seahawks

Smith, 34, threw for 4,320 yards, 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions last season, completing a career-high 70.4 percent of his passes. The two-time Pro Bowler led the Seahawks to a winning record in all three of his three seasons as a starter.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider said at the NFL Scouting Combine last week that there was “no” doubt that Smith was the Seahawks’ guy for 2025.

“We expect him to be our guy,” Schneider said.

Mike Macdonald went as far as to say Seattle could win a championship with Smith, and new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said the opportunity to coach Smith is one of the reasons he was attracted to Seattle.

But these comments were made before Schneider said he was going to meet with Smith’s agent, Chafie Fields, about a contract extension. Smith is entering the final year of his contract with a cap hit of about $44.5 million.

They were also made before receiver DK Metcalf’s trade request on Thursday.

It’s unlikely the Seahawks’ opinions of Smith have changed, but as long as general manager Schneider has been running the show, virtually everyone has been deemed expendable — at the right price. Or, in some instances, if the price to retain the player is too high.

Now, with Sam Howell and Jaren Hall the only quarterbacks on Seattle’s roster, the Seahawks are turning their attention to Darnold, 27, who is coming off a career-salvaging season. Another former Jets starter like Smith, Darnold took the Minnesota Vikings starting job in 2024 after J.J. McCarthy’s preseason knee injury. Darnold passed for 35 touchdowns and led the team to its winningest regular season since 1998.

(Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)