The Las Vegas Raiders had high expectations for this year’s squad after a sign-and-trade for quarterback Geno Smith and selecting generational running back Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Fast-forward to Week 6 of the season, and the Raiders have a 1-4 record. Smith is leading the NFL in interceptions, and Jeanty is just starting to pick up steam. The former Seattle Seahawks signal-caller has one performance without a turnover, and still, Las Vegas was blown out by the Washington Commanders in that game, 41-24.
It could be time for Smith to be motivated by a QB competition from a Super Bowl champion, who was benched a few weeks ago.
Could Russell Wilson Be on The Move Once Again?
New York Giants rookie sensation Jaxson Dart upsetting the then 3-0 Los Angeles Chargers was clearly not a fluke, as he took down the 4-1 Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.
This means veteran QB Russell Wilson won’t return to the field anytime soon in New York. However, the same cannot be said about Las Vegas, so Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox predicts the Super Bowl 48-winning QB could be traded to the Raiders. B/R listed the projected trade value for Wilson at a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick.
“This makes Wilson a logical trade chip, if New York can find an interested partner. The problem is that any potential market for the 36-year-old took a hit when the Cleveland Browns traded Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday,” Knox wrote. “However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported late last month that Wilson is expected to draw trade interest before the deadline.”
“The primary reason Wilson might draw interest? He’s cheap. With a base salary of just $2 million, he would be a budget alternative for any team currently getting poor quarterback play or in need of a veteran mentor. He will also remain the most sensible QB target if and when another starter goes down with a long-term injury,” Knox concluded.
PFSN’s impact scores don’t view Wilson as close to an upgrade over Smith, as the former received a 63.1 impact score compared to the latter’s 72.5. Still, Smith may just need a wake-up call.
The other real possibility is that at 35 years old, Smith and his arm could simply be regressing. Although Wilson was also unable to find success as a starter this season, he seemingly still has a solid arm despite being roughly a year older than the Raiders starter.