The Las Vegas Raiders, in the most expected move of the offseason, officially released Geno Smith on Friday, ahead of free agency. Some speculation ramped up recently that Smith could be retained as a bridge player or used as a trade chip. But his fate ended up being what fans always suspected.
With Fernando Mendoza coming in via the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, most are expecting that he will start right away. But John Spytek and Klint Kubiak pumped the brakes on that hype during the NFL combine, as they wouldn't guarantee that a rookie quarterback would start immediately.
Whether Mendoza is under center in Week 1 or not, he'll need a veteran presence in the quarterback room. Yes, Aidan O'Connell is still under contract, but it would behoove the Raiders and Mendoza to have an older, more experienced option to mentor him. Here are three viable free agent options.
Veteran QBs Raiders should target after cutting ties with Geno Smith
1. Marcus Mariota
Mariota was the strangest backup quarterback signing ever when he came to Las Vegas in 2020. He was never properly utilized by Jon Gruden, nor given much of a chance, during his two seasons with the Raiders, but Mariota has more than proven his worth as a backup since his departure.
He performed well as a starter this past year with the Washington Commanders and has reportedly helped young quarterback Jayden Daniels develop, too. Although Mariota is a different style of quarterback than Mendoza and has no obvious ties to Kubiak, he could be a good fit in Las Vegas.
2. Case Keenum
Keenum has been in the league so long that Gary Kubiak drafted and coached him for two years with the Houston Texans. Keenum was then on the Denver Broncos when Klint Kubiak was an offensive assistant there, and he has made a living by serving as a veteran mentor over the last seven seasons.
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Although he hasn't started or played in a game since 2023, and has just four starts since the 2019 season, the Raiders wouldn't sign him to play. Keenum, who should be well-versed in the Kubiak offense by now, would purely be a mentor and effectively a quarterbacks coach for Mendoza.
3. Kirk Cousins
Alright, let's not lie to ourselves and act like it wouldn't be fun to see Cousins and Mendoza absolutely nerd out in the Raiders' quarterback room. Their personalities mimic each other in a lot of ways, and they have very similar playing styles. This could actually be a match made in heaven.
Cousins would obviously be the most highly sought-after, and therefore expensive, option on this list. But he, too, knows Klint Kubiak from their time together with the Minnesota Vikings, as Kubiak was Cousins' offensive coordinator in 2021.
Plus, Cousins is an OG Shanahan tree disciple from his days with the Washington Redskins, so he should be a quick study in Kubiak's system, which is a mere adaptation. He's the only veteran who could even be viewed as a viable "bridge" at this point, but I'd prefer he just cheer on Mendoza.