Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks towards the sideline during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Recapping the Failed Geno Smith Experience for Raiders

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Mar 7, 2026 9:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders took a swing at quarterback last offseason, hoping to add an established veteran who could raise the offense’s floor.

They swung a trade for Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks, sending a third-round pick back and extending him later on. The move reunited Pete Carroll with a quarterback he is familiar with, and Smith had played well for the Seahawks in the past few seasons.

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However, Smith was a disaster in his lone season in the Silver and Black, winning only two games as a starter and helping the Raiders land the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

The team will release Smith when the new league year begins next week, owing him $18.5 million and saving $8 million against the cap.

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The process failed, but the silver lining is that it led the Raiders to Fernando Mendoza, who they hope will be their next franchise quarterback.

What went wrong during the Smith experiment in Las Vegas? Let’s break down why it didn’t work.

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Why Geno Smith failed in Las Vegas

The trade made sense at the time: the Raiders hired Pete Carroll, a coach many expected to establish a winning culture for a short time. Then, they paired him with a quarterback who revitalized his career in Seattle.

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This Raiders team would compete and win some games they shouldn’t, right? Wrong.

Smith never got a feel for Chip Kelly’s offense, operating mostly out of the gun, even though his bread and butter is as an under-center quarterback who can drop back and process the field. He was nearly doomed from the start.

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Smith never got on the same page with several of Las Vegas’ weapons, throwing 17 interceptions in 448 pass attempts, leading the NFL. You can’t create a successful offense if you’re turning the ball over.

On top of that, the offensive line played poorly under the previous coaching staff, so Smith had no time to process the field before a defender was barrelling down on him.

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What really made the trade look bad was the fact that the Seahawks signed Sam Darnold right after, and he played excellent football and went on to win the Super Bowl.

At the time, the Raiders looked like the smart team, but they end up looking like the fools because of what Darnold became. He cashed in on a resurgent season in Minnesota by winning a Lombardi on Smith’s old team in his first season.

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In the end, it makes all the sense in the world for the marriage between Smith and the Raiders to end. The team will have a fresh start with Mendoza and a new coaching staff, and Smith will have his choice of where to play next season.

Raiders fans should wish Smith the best as both sides begin a new chapter of their football lives.

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

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