Raiders have TRADED for QB Geno Smith for a 2025 third round pick.

The Las Vegas Raiders’ trade for quarterback Geno Smith, sending a 2025 third-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks, is a practical move that signals intent without breaking the bank. Announced this afternoon, the deal reunites Smith with head coach Pete Carroll, under whom he thrived in Seattle, earning Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2022 with a 69.8% completion rate and a 30-11 TD-INT ratio. For a Raiders team stumbling off a 4-13 season with Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew as their quarterback options, Smith is a clear upgrade, a proven starter who can stabilize the position.

Critics might call it a Band-Aid, not a long-term fix, and they’re right. At 34, Smith isn’t the future, and the Raiders still hold the No. 6 pick in a lackluster 2025 quarterback draft class. But a third-rounder is a modest price for a player who’s consistently delivered winning records behind a shaky Seahawks offensive line. Paired with Vegas’ superior protection and weapons like Brock Bowers, Smith could elevate the offense while mentoring a rookie if the Raiders draft one later.

This isn’t a flashy move, but it’s not meant to be. Carroll, at 73, isn’t here for a rebuild, he wants to win now. Smith gives him a familiar, efficient quarterback to kickstart that process. The trade doesn’t preclude drafting a successor; it just buys time. For a franchise desperate for stability, that’s a win worth the cost

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