Anonymous NFL exec on what ex-Seahawks QB Geno Smith offers Raiders

One of the reasons that Geno Smith said he wanted to join the Raiders was the chance to be a part of one of the most prestigious franchises in sports. Smith got his wish - and even though Las Vegas finished with just a 4-13 record last season, he is getting the attention that comes with being the starting quarterback of the Raiders.

While the league and the national media were content to ignore Geno Smith while he was with the Seattle Seahawks, now he's apparently all you need to establish an identity in this league. According to one anonymous NFL executive, Smith gives Vegas "instant credibility," per Jeremy Fowler at ESPN.

"Geno gives them instant credibility at the position, and Pete and Geno seem to have good chemistry together, so it's a good way for both of them to start... The executive continued, "I figure they will look to draft a quarterback in the next few years, but for now they have an answer."

Smith does qualify as a radical upgrade over what the Raiders got from Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell last season, arguably consisting of the worst quarterback room in the NFL. The Raiders also got a far more accomplished and experienced head coach when they hired Pete Carroll.

As for the supporting cast, Smith will be sharing the backfield with Ashton Jeanty, one of the best running back prospects to come along in a long time. Vegas also has one of the league's top pass-catching tight ends in Brock Bowers. They also have a pretty respectable offensive line.

The missing part of the puzzle is at wide receiver, where the Raiders may be weaker than any other NFL team going into 2025. Last year Jakobi Meyers functioned as their number one option, but it's anybody's guess as to who the WR1 role will go to now.

Smith should also get a boost from playing indoors, but until the Raiders radically upgrade that receiver corps, a 7-10 finish is probably about the most anyone can reasonably expect.