Las Vegas Raiders $75 Million Gamble: Can Geno Smith Break The Playoff Curse?

Geno Smith, former Seattle Seahawks quarterback, officially joins the Las Vegas Raiders after being traded in March for a third-round draft pick. He has reportedly signed a two-year, $75 million contract extension and is ready to go above and beyond for the Raiders’ new head coach and his former Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll.

Is Smith A Good Fit For Vegas?

The Raiders are a team of constant turnover. Las Vegas has had many changes over the years with coaches and players. The team needs stability, and Smith could be the one to bring it. He can lead a team, like he did when he took the Seahawks to the playoffs in 2022. Additionally, in 2022, he won Comeback Player of the Year, showing his dedication, persistence, and ability to play a full 60 minutes of football.

Smith isn’t perfect, but no quarterbacks (or people) are. Despite his struggles with turnovers, pressure situations, and red zone efficiency, he won’t be what costs the Raiders games. Unfortunately, when games are going wrong, his extremely accurate arm and mobility usually aren’t enough to bring it back. Overall, if the Raiders acquire more offensive weapons and create a solid front line, Smith could do great things for this team in transition.

End Of My Las Vegas Raiders Rant

While Smith has room to grow, he has arguably the most vital quality for any quarterback: the desire to improve. Smith has said he would “run through a wall” for Carroll and feels the two have “unfinished business.”

Will Smith be a franchise quarterback for the Raiders? It doesn’t look likely with Smith’s age; he turns 35 in October and the young roster of the Raiders. It’s likely he will be an effective intermediate measure while the team waits for a better quarterback class than the one coming up in this year’s draft.