Ramifications of Geno Smith extension on Raiders draft strategy

After expressing confidence in getting a deal done during the NFL’s Annual League Meeting, the Las Vegas Raiders got their big business with quarterback Geno Smith out of the way.

On Thursday, the Raiders officially signed Smith to a two-year contract extension worth up to $85.5 million, with $66.5 million in guaranteed money. Ensuring Smith remains in Las Vegas for the next few seasons gives the team a clear solution under center. While the exact structure of the deal has not been revealed yet, it will give some insight on how the team views their timeline with Smith for the future.

With the deal getting done before the draft, the Raiders now have some time to reassess their strategy and come up with a clear plan of attack.

How does the Smith extension alter the Raiders’ draft plans, assuming it does at all?

According to Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton, the Smith extension should likely eliminate the possibility of the Raiders drafting a quarterback at six, instead helping them focus on an impact player who can help them in his rookie year.

“If Carroll wants to get the best out of Smith, though, the Raiders should add a player who can help them in 2025 rather than someone who may have to wait two or three years for his turn,” Moton wrote. “The Atlanta Falcons disagree with that premise, but Smith isn’t coming off a torn Achilles like Kirk Cousins last year.”

“With the No. 6 pick, the Raiders can take running back Ashton Jeanty to help balance their offensive attack. As the best ball-carrier in this year’s class, Jeanty has Pro Bowl-All-Pro potential.”

Jeanty has been the near-unanimous pick for the Raiders in most recent mock drafts, and adding him to the roster instantly takes pressure off of Smith.

However, Smith being under contract does not change the fact that he is entering his age-35 season, meaning the Raiders still need to find a long-term answer at the position.

“Geno is an immediate fix for us, and it’s going to last us,” said head coach Pete Carroll during the league meeting. “We’re going to get a number of years from Geno at his very best. He’s healthy and ready to go. He’s as tuned in as he’s ever been, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t see some guys coming out with tremendous potential. We’re not excluding taking anybody.”

At the NFL Combine in February, it was reported that the Raiders came away impressed with both Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Texas’s Quinn Ewers. The team went to both schools’ Pro Days as well, suggesting serious interest. Milroe and Ewers are both expected to go anywhere between the second and fourth rounds, giving the Raiders some time to balance their priorities.

Getting Smith locked down was a great decision by the Raiders, and they can now let the board fall to them instead of forcing the issue.