Extending Geno Smith Was the Right Move for the Raiders

There were plenty of quarterbacks up for grabs in the off-season, and with a high pick, they could've opted to draft a quarterback as well. Instead, they traded for and then extended Geno Smith's contract, which is the best decision they could've made.

Smith's career has been an odd one to follow, but now he's on the up and up, and the Raiders are trying to be a part of his career resurgence. Pete Carroll must've had a hand in signing off on this trade, but even if he weren't, Smith is easily the most talented quarterback they have on their roster, despite questions about whether his play can continue to ascend or if he was just a good story for a couple of years.

The best thing about Smith going to the Raiders is that he isn't expected to carry the entire offensive load on his shoulders like he was expected to with the Seattle Seahawks, and the Raiders aren't trying to actively make it to the playoffs.

I believe they're a much-improved team and could be a dark horse pick for the playoffs, but they are still a ways away from truly competing in a stacked AFC. Tyler Sullivan, sports writer for CBS Sports, wrote about how he, too, believes the Raiders made the right choice in extending Smith in a recent article.

"There's been a tremendous amount of change surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason, but none is more important than trading for Geno Smith, who also inked a two-year extension with the franchise.

The 34-year-old brings stability to a quarterback room that has been lost in recent seasons and should raise the floor of the offense overall, especially as he reunites with coach Pete Carroll, who was at the helm in Seattle when Smith enjoyed a career resurgence. With Smith under center and improvements to the backfield and receiver room, Las Vegas should be pesky in 2025".

The Raiders didn't win a single divisional game last year, and with Smith, that is sure to change. They'll surely take a game away from the Los Angeles Chargers or Denver Broncos, and they can even kick the Kansas City Chiefs while they're down and take a game away from them as well.

Trading for an extending Smith means that the Raiders are no longer fumbling around and have a definitive vision for their future. Smith is an offensive floor-raiser, and he'll take this offense to heights it hasn't been in years.