Why Geno Smith is entering a 'trial season' with the Raiders

It's now clear that Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady endorsed the club acquiring quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this offseason and the Raiders' decision to hand Smith a two-year, $85.5M extension that included $66.5M guaranteed.

For a piece published on Wednesday, NFL insider Dan Graziano of ESPN shared how the Raiders did well to protect themselves regarding the Smith deal. 

"Smith's contract really doesn't bind the Raiders to him for more than this season," Graziano wrote. "He has $18.5M in guaranteed money on the books for 2026, but because the Raiders don't like to put signing bonuses in their contracts, that's the extent of the dead money hit if they want to cut him next offseason."

Smith first played under current Raiders head coach Pete Carroll from 2019-23 when Carroll was Seattle's coach. While working with Carroll, Smith earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award honors for the 2022 season. 

That said, Smith turns 35 in October, and he's hardly coming off a stellar season. According to Pro Football Reference, Smith ended the 2024 campaign ranked 22nd among qualified passers with a 53.8 adjusted QBR. Only two quarterbacks tossed more interceptions than Smith (15) last season. 

"This feels like a trial season for Smith in Las Vegas," Graziano added. "Even if the Raiders found a better option in next year's draft, keeping Smith as a $26.5M backup wouldn't be impossible. It's pretty much what Atlanta's doing right now with Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr."

Brady may or may not be the biggest reason that the Raiders repeatedly passed on picking a quarterback during the 2025 NFL Draft before the club took a flier on developmental prospect Cam Miller out of North Dakota State in the sixth round. Las Vegas could've grabbed Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe, Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders during the player-selection process. 

Earlier in August, Smith warned that he and his teammates will be ready to "maybe shock some outsiders" when Las Vegas opens the season with a matchup at the New England Patriots on Sept. 7. If those outsiders are right about what Smith will and won't be, he could ultimately become a one-and-done QB1 with the Raiders.