With Pete Carroll locked in as the next head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, his most important job is going to be helping the team find a quarterback. The Raiders need to find a young quarterback in the draft at some point but could also go with a veteran option for now.
Many have linked the team to Russell Wilson following the Carroll news. He went to nine Pro Bowls under the coach and they won a Super Bowl together. However, there could be a different former Seahawks quarterback who makes more sense.
Following the news that Carroll landed the Raiders job, Geno Smith posted a picture of him hugging the coach on his Instagram page. That could just be a sign of respect but there’s already a lot of speculation that Smith might want to reunite with the coach.
He will be entering the final year of a three-year contract with the Seahawks and they’d only have a $13.5 million dead cap hit if they released him. Seattle might want to start over at quarterback and let head coach Mike McDonald pick his own guy. They could also consider trading him to the Raiders. It’s unlikely his price would be high in a trade.
Russell Wilson or Geno Smith?
If Wilson is interested in reuniting with Carroll on the Raiders, he’d be easier to get. He’s going to be a free agent this offseason so the team wouldn’t need to make a trade. As far as age goes, Wilson and Smith aren’t far off as the former is 36 and the latter is 34.
That said, Smith may make more sense in Las Vegas. Wilson has played fine but he brings some baggage. Carroll and Wilson have hashed things out but their relationship wasn’t the best toward the end in Seattle. Wilson also isn’t always well-liked by teammates.
It took a long time for Smith to catch on in the NFL but he’s played well in recent years. He was the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2022 and made Pro Bowls in two of the last three seasons. He didn’t play as well this season as he threw 21 touchdowns to 15 interceptions, but that may have been more due to playcalling. The Seahawks fired offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after the season. In the right scheme, Smith could get back to being a Pro Bowl-level quarterback. As far as stopgap options go, the Raiders might not be able to do better than Smith if he’s available.
What Could Smith Cost in a Trade?
If the Seahawks are ready to move on from Smith, it shouldn’t cost a team much to trade for him. He’s coming off a down year, is older and on an expiring contract. The Raiders might be able to get him for a third-round pick.
That’s still a valuable asset to give up so Las Vegas may need to be patient. If the Seahawks land another quarterback they like, then Smith could be even cheaper. It’s a situation the Raiders should watch closely throughout the offseason. The goal should still be to draft a quarterback but Smith could at least be the starter for the 2025 season.
Comments
Speculation Stirs as Ex-Pete Carroll QB Makes Cryptic Post After Raiders News