General manager John Spytek had a tremendous reputation as a high-level executive before he was hired by the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. It took him just over a month into his tenure to make his first splash move by trading for veteran quarterback Geno Smith.
The deal was highly regarded by the rest of the league, and the two sides worked out a reasonably priced contract extension once he was acquired. Not to mention, Smith already had a rapport with head coach Pete Carroll because the two worked together for four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.
But the relationship between Smith and Carroll is a bit deeper than just being two colleagues. Raider Nation discovered this in Smith's introductory press conference at the team facility in Henderson, Nevada, on Monday morning.
Geno Smith makes strong statement about his relationship with Pete Carroll
One reporter asked Smith about the relationship between him and his coach, and the veteran quarterback was quick to sing Carroll's praises. In fact, he credits Carroll for his resurgence in the NFL and made a strong statement about his feelings for the 73-year-old coach.
"When people think about my story, Coach Carroll was a big part of that," said Smith. "I was just telling him, man, I'll run through a wall for him, and he knows that."
Alignment between your quarterback and head coach is fundamental to success for any NFL team. This concept has been lost on the Raiders in recent memory, as they have struggled to find a competent person at either position.
Read More: Pete Carroll reveals why Geno Smith is a perfect fit for the Raiders
Smith comes to Las Vegas as one of the most accurate passers in the league over the last several seasons. He should have no problem finding available receivers in new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's offense, which is notorious for scheming players open.
Las Vegas also has a high-end duo of pass-catchers on the roster in All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards last season despite only playing in 15 games. Smith also shouted out Michael Mayer and Tre Tucker during his press conference, both of whom are expected to break out in their third NFL season.
Even if all of the pieces do not fit together perfectly for the Raiders this season, the head coach and quarterback see eye-to-eye, which can mask a lot of other problems. With a strong NFL Draft and an offseason full of competing under Carroll, this team has the chance to be right where they want to be come playoff time.