For the first time during the 2025 NFL season, Las Vegas Raiders fans were treated to a game in which Geno Smith was not the team's starting quarterback. After suffering three different injuries to his hand, shoulder and back in Week 14 against the Denver Broncos, he was sidelined last Sunday.
While Smith has been a major part of the team's issues during their 2-12 campaign, things weren't any better in Week 15 with Kenny Pickett under center. The Raiders lost 31-0 in Smith's absence against the Philadelphia Eagles and mustered just 75 yards of offense.
Las Vegas now has a road trip to face the 9-5 Houston Texans on the schedule for Week 16, and their AFC South foe boasts the best defense in the entire NFL. Fans are certainly curious to see whether or not Smith returns for what should be another thrashing and potentially a second straight shutout.
Pete Carroll basically just said Geno Smith will start for Raiders vs. Texans
Well, on Tuesday, Carroll provided an update on that front. When speaking with JT The Brick, Carroll was asked about where the depth chart stands currently between Smith with his injury, Pickett, and Aidan O'Connell.
"Geno's certainly ready to go from where I saw him this morning. He is cranked up and ready. He had a great weekend of rehab," Carroll said. "We didn't travel him so he wouldn't have to sit on the plane for all those hours and be in the cold and all that. He feels good, and I'll be able to know more after practice tomorrow, where we're going with that."
As we have previously documented, and as Carroll has recently admitted, Smith will play if he is physically able to. That's right, a 35-year-old quarterback getting reps over younger players despite Las Vegas having absolutely nothing to play for and Smith already proving that he's not the answer.
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Obviously, it is easier said than done to bench a veteran player like Smith, who is making over $40 million this season. But his dealing with numerous lingering injuries is the perfect reason to just put him on the shelf for the final few games of the year and see what else you have at quarterback.
Pickett clearly didn't make the most of his opportunity, and O'Connell wasn't exactly impressive in the preseason. But the coaching staff should already know, based on their record alone, that they aren't winning with Smith. If they're still trying to scrounge for victories, why not make a change?
If the Raiders are still thinking that Smith is a big part of their future, why risk further injuring him in what is a lost season? There are no answers for playing Smith that hold up logically, given the situation that this Las Vegas team finds itself in.
But Carroll's update that Smith looks "ready to go" certainly means that he'll start against the Texans on Sunday. Raider Nation's only hope of seeing someone else under center is if someone like John Spytek, Tom Brady or Mark Davis pulls rank and steps in. But that feels unlikely.