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

The Different Paths Facing the Raiders' Offense

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Geno Smith's debut with the Las Vegas Raiders has the potential to be wildly good or disappointingly bad. The Raiders traded for him with the expectation that he'd be an offensive floor raiser and that he'd make this team feisty once again.

Henry McKenna is a sports writer for FOX Sports, and he published an article speculating on what can go right or what can go wrong for each quarterback in the AFC. For Smith and the Raiders, the best-case scenario is that Ashton Jeanty takes over the offense, and the worst-case scenario is that Smith's career resurgence was due to the weapons he had with the Seattle Seahawks.

"Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty goes off for 3,000 yards. I’m mostly kidding. But not entirely. The Raiders don’t have much in the way of experienced skill players. Jakobi Meyers is among the most underappreciated talents in the NFL".

McKenna may be hyperbolic in exclaiming Jeanty can rush for 3,000 yards, but I wholeheartedly believe 2,000 yards is feasible for him. He's incredible at making plays in space and hard to take down, while also being an asset in the pass game.

"Brock Bowers is an undeniable talent. But that’s a pretty small group of playmakers. Jeanty might have to hold up the entire offense. And that would actually be a good thing for Smith, who will need all the help he can get", said McKenna.

Brock Bowers will help settle the offense for Smith, and he's already establishing a connection with Jakobi Meyers. He's in a familiar system with Pete Carroll, I think Smith will be able to get acclimated just fine to Las Vegas. The biggest question mark for him in this offense is whether or not he can reel in his turnovers and throw fewer interceptions.

"Smith was just a product of his receivers in Seattle. During his 11-year career, Smith was only good as a Seahawk, with a lot of help from a tremendously talented receiver group. In Las Vegas, Smith might revert to a lesser version. This offense will have a hard time attacking the deep part of the field and, in turn, could have difficulty with intermediate passing".

While it is true that Smith had better weapons with the Seahawks, I don't think he'd revert to a lesser version of himself. He has more help on the offensive line and a running back duo that's there to take the pressure off of him.

Realistically, neither of these outcomes will come to pass, and Smith's debut with the Raiders will be a middle ground between these extremes. We will all have to wait and see if the Raiders gamble to trade and extend Smith will pay off, or if he will be another name in a carousel of mediocrity for the Raiders quarterback position.

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

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