Pete Carroll didn’t come back for a rebuilding project.
On Friday night, the Las Vegas Raiders executed a trade with the Seattle Seahawks to bring Geno Smith to the desert for a third-round pick. After their failed effort to lure Matthew Stafford away from the Rams, the Raiders didn’t take long to set their sights on another veteran quarterback who can help their 73-year-old head coach win now.
As Seahawks coach, Carroll turned to Smith as his starting quarterback in 2022 after the team traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. Much to the surprise of many NFL observers, Smith had his best season as a pro in his first year as Seattle’s starter, completing 70% of his passes for 4,292 yards, with 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Smith earned a trip to the Pro Bowl and led the Seahawks to the playoffs.
Las Vegas has the third-most salary cap space in the league at $81 million, according to Over the Cap. After the Raiders struck out with a series of bad quarterback options the past two years, Smith should bring some stability to an organization as a bridge quarterback, allowing the Raiders to take a developmental prospect in the draft.
Smith was in the final year of a three-year, $75 million deal with the Seahawks and wanted a contract extension that moved him closer to higher-paid quarterbacks in the league. He reportedly wanted $45 million per year while the Seahawks countered with $35 million. When they couldn’t come to an agreement, GM John Schneider shipped the 34-year-old signal-caller to Las Vegas. Smith is scheduled to earn $25 million in non-guaranteed salary in 2025, and the Raiders will likely negotiate a new deal.
The Seahawks currently have 24-year-old QB Sam Howell on the roster. He has 18 NFL starts but struggled in spot duty last season for Seattle. The team also released veteran receiver Tyler Lockett, and No. 1 receiver DK Metcalf has requested a trade after a contract impasse, so it appears to be a roster reset in Seattle.
But it might not necessarily be a rebuild. The Seahawks recently hired offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who runs a similar scheme to Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. And with the Vikings not applying the franchise tag to Sam Darnold, the Seahawks reportedly have their sights set on bringing the USC product into the fold at the start of free agency next week. He is reportedly looking for at least a three-year contract.
Darnold, 27, had his best season as a pro in 2024, throwing for 4,319 yards, with 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in leading Minnesota to a 14-3 record. He played well against the Seahawks, passing for 246 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-24 win in Seattle in Week 16.
“This scheme has a track record of the quarterback playing fast,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said at the NFL Combine about the team’s new offense. “I just feel like if you can get the quarterback to play decisive and fast, it builds confidence. It’s hard to defend on defense when the ball is out on time. And then all the play actions and the movements to be able to protect him that way, take pressure off the O-line, it’s going to help us.”
Macdonald wants to build an offense that creates balance, leaning on the running game as a complement to his defense, like what he had in Baltimore when he was the Ravens‘ DC.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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