The Las Vegas Raiders have committed to their new quarterback, Geno Smith, by agreeing to a two-year extension with the veteran. The Raiders recently acquired Smith in a trade this offseason with the Seattle Seahawks, sending a third-round pick in return.
The deal gives both the team and the player some long-term stability while not fully ruling out the possibility that the Raiders will add a young quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Raiders Agree to 2-Year, $85.5 Million Extension With Geno Smith
The Raiders traded for Smith even though the quarterback was entering the final year of his contract. The Seahawks were unable to agree to terms with their three-year starter, allowing Las Vegas to make a move for the veteran.
As a result of the trade, Smith reunites with his former Seattle head coach, Pete Carroll, after the former was hired by the Raiders following a year out of the league.
Carroll gave Smith a shot at the Seahawks’ starting job in 2022 despite the veteran QB spending seven straight seasons as a backup with multiple teams.
Now, Carroll has committed to his quarterback again after the team agreed to a two-year, $85.5 million extension. The deal gives Las Vegas some stability at quarterback while rewarding Smith for his strong performances in Seattle.
It’s a 2-year, $85.5M extension with $66.5M guaranteed for Geno Smith. https://t.co/poYKgjFDz0
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 3, 2025
Will the Raiders Still Draft a Quarterback?
With Smith now 34 years old and entering what was the last year of his deal, Las Vegas had been one of several teams linked to Shedeur Sanders ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. But while the team could still draft a quarterback, Smith’s extension makes it less likely they’ll take one early.
A more likely scenario is the team targeting a prospect in the mid-to-late rounds of April’s draft. Las Vegas still has Aidan O’Connell under contract for two more seasons. Outside of him, Carter Bradley is the only other quarterback listed on the team’s website, and he frequently moves to the practice squad.
Vegas chose not to retain Desmond Ridder or veteran journeyman Gardner Minshew II after both started games in 2024, suggesting they could still be looking to add one more arm to the QB room.
And while the figures in Smith’s contract make it clear he’s the starter, the short length of the deal leaves the Raiders with some future planning to do. With several developmental QB prospects expected to be available in the middle rounds, Las Vegas could still find a future starter later this month.