Raiders still have more work to do after Geno Smith trade

Landing quarterback Geno Smith in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks is a big upgrade for the Las Vegas Raiders, but way too much work remains — from negotiating a new contract with Smith, to securing their own free agents and adding new talent at wide receiver and elsewhere — as the new league year gets under way on March 12.

Ever since Derek Carr was released in 2022, the Raiders have had a revolving door at quarterback. Jarrett Stidham, Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew II (and O'Connell again) have all had their shots.

That is never good because it means the Raiders haven't been successful in three seasons. They couldn't find a quarterback they felt comfortable with, a problem that also led to the firings of head coaches Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce. 

The franchise headed into this offseason needing another fresh start.

Raiders owner Mark Davis felt the fan base's pain in wanting a new direction. Even star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby weighed in. Tired of the losing, he wanted hope that the Raiders were going to do something right for a change. 

Las Vegas first turned to former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, whose successful run in the Pacific Northwest included a Super Bowl title in 2013. His hiring as the Raiders' new head coach brought some sense of calm, but still the question remained: What about a starting quarterback?

The answer came March 7 when the Raiders agreed to acquire Geno Smith in a trade with the Seahawks. Smith played five seasons for Carroll, going 28-24 with two Pro Bowl appearances. The trade will become official when the new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET March 12.

Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reported that the Seahawks had offered Smith a two-year deal worth up to $45 million that would've kept him there through the 2027 season. Condotta said there was no counteroffer from Smith's side, and Fox Sports reported that Smith requested a trade. 

The Raiders, after failing to lure Matthew Stafford from the Rams, traded for Smith in exchange for a draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini said Smith is now looking for a contract that will pay $40M-$45M per year.

While Smith fills one big hole, plenty still remain on the Raiders' roster and their work during the free agency tampering period is off to a slow start and has left them way behind.

The Raiders' new regime hopes to retain its own top defensive free agents, according to The Athletic, but Las Vegas already has lost linebacker Robert Spillane to the New England Patriots and safety Tre'von Moehrig to the Carolina Panthers, while agreeing to re-sign defensive tackle Adam Butler. 

The Athletic said the Raiders have shifted their focus in free agency to wide receiver, but as of late Monday had remained relatively quiet until they agreed to terms with safety Jeremy Chinn of the Washington Commanders on a two-year deal, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Media and agreed to re-sign defensive end Malcolm Koonce to a one-year deal, NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport said.

Bringing in Carroll and Smith was a great start, but they can't be the only big moves heading into the 2025 season.