The Las Vegas Raiders had high hopes for Geno Smith after acquiring him for the mere cost of a third-round pick this offseason. Things have not gone according to plan, however, as the two-time Pro Bowler has been among the worst quarterbacks in the league during the 2025 NFL season.
His season-long struggles with turnovers have plagued the offense, which has failed to live up to its expectations anyway. Smith's poor play has led for much of the fanbase to call for his benching in favor of backup Kenny Pickett or Aidan O'Connell when he returns from the Injured Reserve.
The coaching staff, however, has continued to back Smith, making it clear that they expect him to turn things around, and there are no plans for him to be supplanted. While his turnovers have directly led to two of Las Vegas' four losses, it appears that he still has the support of the locker room.
Geno Smith receives support from Raiders' two biggest stars
Smith has, statistically, been one of the worst quarterbacks in the entire NFL, leading the league with ten interceptions. Despite his struggles, Brock Bowers and Maxx Crosby recently threw their praise behind the veteran once again.
The All-Pro tight end spoke with Bleacher Report's Scott Polacek earlier this week.There, he discussed working with Smith this season.
"It's been good. He's a great guy, he's a great leader. We're happy to have him," Bowers said. "Some unlucky things have happened, but I'm excited to see how he keeps building and working."
Bowers and Smith appeared to be on the same page in Week 1 as they connected five times for 103 yards before the second-year star was forced out of the game with a knee injury. He was not the same player over the next three weeks, leading the coaching staff to shut him down until he fully recovers.
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Crosby also praised Smith following the team's second win of the season. On his podcast, The Rush With Maxx Crosby, the two-time All-Pro discussed the Raiders' quarterback's performance.
"As the game went on, you see Geno start getting his flow and Ashton (Jeanty) and the whole offense," Crosby said. "Geno, I thought, played really solid and just him being composed, even though it wasn't perfect, they got their rhythm."
The two stars weren't the only players to back Smith this week. Michael Mayer also praised Smith's Week 6 performance, particularly, his ability to find the open receiver. While much of the fanbase has lost faith in the Raiders' quarterback, it is clear that he still has the support of both the coaching staff and locker room.
Bowers' return should certainly help Smith, who threw for 362 yards in his Raiders debut, setting a franchise record. Although he has played poorly, not having his top weapon and top offensive lineman -- star left tackle Kolton Miller is on injured reserve -- has certainly hindered his production.
The offensive line has been just as bad, allowing 18 sacks over the first three games -- tied for the fifth-most in the league. Smith still has plenty of time to turn his season around, and a strong performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 could help get the fanbase back on his side going into the bye week.