Jun 11, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws the ball during Las Vegas Raiders Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Raiders' Smith is One of the NFL's Best Quarterbacks

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 2:00 PM ET

After several seasons of subpar quarterback play, the Las Vegas Raiders traded a third-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for quarterback Geno Smith. The move instantly gave the Raiders the best quarterback they have had in years, while making them a much more competitive team.

Smith's arrival gives the Raiders a dependable starting quarterback with over a decade of playing experience. The veteran quarterback should provide much of what the Raiders have been missing recently.

Raiders General Manager John Spytek also revamped the Raiders' skill positions, adding several talented players to the offense to help Smith this upcoming season.

Las Vegas drafted Ashton Jeanty to help improve a lackluster ground game and added receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton.

These moves and more should work to Smith's advantage, assuming the Raiders can get serviceable play from their offensive line.

Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports released his list of the top 10 quarterbacks in the National Football League, in tiers. He ranked Smith the eighth-best quarterback in the league in what he called the "Floor-Raiser Tier."

"These quarterbacks are good, but just a hair off from the rest of the players ranked above them. These guys have been good at creating competitive teams in adverse situations, though there’s still a bit missing to get them into the upper-echelon tier," McDonald said.

"In the right circumstances, these quarterbacks could probably lead their team on a deep run through the playoffs, but we still need to see them do a bit more."

Following Organized Team Activities, Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll explained how he felt about rejoining Smith in Las Vegas.

"Yeah, I really feel so fortunate that we were able to get that done. John Spytek got it done for us because of all that he brings. To me, he's just been emblematic of what a leader should be, by his habits and by the way he brings himself every day. He's the first guy out here, he's the last guy to leave. It's really important to him that he stands for what leadership is all about, and he's a good football player, too. He's looked great in practice so far. So, really excited about what he's bringing," Carroll said."

Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr, and talk to us in 2025 about Smith.

While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss all Raiders content in 2025.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: