The Raiders have officially traded a 2025 third-round pick to the Seahawks for quarterback Geno Smith. It’s pick No. 92, which the Raiders acquired from the Jets last year in return for receiver Davante Adams. The Raiders still have their own third-round pick, which is No. 68.
Smith should receive a contract extension from the Raiders this week, according to league sources. He’s going into the final year of a three-year extension he signed with Seattle back in 2023. While he has no guaranteed money left on the deal, he’s due a $16 million roster bonus on Sunday. That’s the artificial deadline for the Raiders to sign him to a new contract if their intention is to lower his 2025 cap hit, which is currently set to be $31 million.
However things play out with Smith’s contract, he’s almost guaranteed to be the Raiders’ starter in 2025. The Raiders released quarterback Gardner Minshew, who started nine games in 2024, on Wednesday. Aidan O’Connell, who finished the season as the starter, is still around, but he’s nowhere near Smith’s level and is ideally suited as a backup.
Something that could make things interesting, however, is the Raiders haven’t ruled out drafting a quarterback as high as the first round in the 2025 draft, according to league sources. They currently hold pick No. 6 in the first round, but are also open to trading up or trading down, according to league sources. It’s also possible the Raiders could draft a quarterback in later rounds who could still compete with Smith in Year 1. Coach Pete Carroll is known for instilling competition throughout the roster, and Smith won’t be excluded from that.
