The Las Vegas Raiders are already seeing the 2025 season circling the drain, and fans are pointing out Geno Smith as one of the primary culprits.
Hailed as a significant upgrade on 2024’s quarterback room, Smith has actually started with a worst record (1-4) than the combination of Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell (2-3). Smith also currently leads the league with nine interceptions, with two coming in Sunday’s unsettling 40-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Fans have already raised the white flag on Smith as a result, looking anywhere and everywhere for a potential solution.
This includes one of the NBA’s biggest stars endorsing a quarterback long linked to the Raiders.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard took to X after the blowout loss, telling the Raiders that it was time to bring Sanders into the fold.
Time to gone ahead and trade for shedeur man smfh
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) October 5, 2025
While Lillard would defend Smith in a subsequent post, he continued to push the idea of the Cleveland Browns quarterback coming to Las Vegas.
Sanders was connected to the Raiders for the longest time leading up to April’s draft, and many were expecting him to wind up on the Silver and Black. However, the Colorado product endured one of the most high-profile slides in the draft in recent memory, largely due to character concerns popping up days prior. The Raiders joined many teams in passing on Sanders multiple times, until the Browns took the plunge on him in the fifth round.
It is an interesting thought, but it is highly unlikely the Raiders make such a move.
For starters, with a team dealing with as much inconsistency as the Raiders are, it is far from an ideal situation for a young quarterback like Sanders to step into. Also, Sanders did not exactly help his case by going full mime about the Browns switching to fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel against the Minnesota Vikings, apparently poking fun at ESPN analyst Rex Ryan’s criticism of him.
Shedeur Sanders went full mime in the locker room today
pic.twitter.com/5DMmFGEpx3
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 1, 2025
The Raiders are certainly looking for help at the quarterback position, but Lillard’s dream of Sanders walking through the door is still a long shot.
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