In his three seasons as a starter with the Seahawks, Smith proved his decade of experience and talents were enough to steer a team toward contention. With a revolving door that has spun since the moment they decided to move on from Derek Carr, the Raiders are seeking this type of guidance — and stability — under center, explaining their decision to acquire Smith.

It’s also worth noting that Smith’s old head coach, Pete Carroll, will be waiting to work with him again in Las Vegas.

At a price of a third-round pick, this deal does not exclude the Raiders from selecting a quarterback in April’s draft. Instead of being left with only Aidan O’Connell, though, Las Vegas now has a proven starter in Smith.

While surprising, the trade also immediately makes Seattle a prime destination for Sam Darnold, who enjoyed his own renaissance in 2024 with the Vikings, but likely isn’t in their long-term plans. With free agency’s start just a few days away, it’s fair to expect the Seahawks to pursue the former first-round pick out of USC.

Las Vegas, meanwhile, can finally sleep soundly for a night. While their long-term plans aren’t solved, the Raiders finally have a legitimate option at the top of their quarterback depth chart.