The Las Vegas Raiders are in year one of the Pete Carroll era, which, in the long run, should be a huge success. The Raiders made culture change a priority when they traded for Carroll’s former quarterback, Geno Smith.
“The Las Vegas Raiders have traded for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, reuniting him with coach Pete Carroll, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler on Friday. Las Vegas gave up a 2025 third-round pick (92nd overall) for Smith, sources said. The deal ends his six-year stint in Seattle, where he revived his career and became a two-time Pro Bowl selection,” ESPN’s Ryan McFadden wrote.
After the first preseason game, Raiders fans should be excited about their one-two QB punch. Cam Miller impressed, and Smith remains a reliable presence.
“The Las Vegas Raiders' quarterback woes over the past two seasons have been well documented, as quarterback was undoubtedly the Raiders' fatal flaw over the past few seasons. The addition of quarterback Geno Smith should help the Raiders out in multiple ways. Las Vegas appears to have fully revamped its quarterback room by adding Smith and rookie quarterback Cam Miller,” wrote SI’s Ezekiel Trezevant.
In a wild scenario, the Raiders could part ways with Smith after the 2027 NFL Draft and select Arch Manning from Texas.
“Most likely, the Raiders will ride with Smith for 2025 and 2026, but will have a decision to make after that. In that final year of his deal in 2027, he has zero guaranteed dollars left, and the team could free up $39.5 million in cap space if they were to cut him during that offseason. And that just so happens to be the exact time they could pivot to the likes of Manning,” CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan wrote.
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Manning is poised to be a strong NFL quarterback, especially considering his uncles’ success. By 2027, Smith will be nearing the end of his career and likely in decline. Manning is expected to spend two years in college developing as a starter before making the leap to the pros.