It is hard to win in the NFL without a great quarterback. The Las Vegas Raiders have learned this lesson the hard way, whether they had Derek Carr, who was not quite good enough, or Gardner Minshew, who was not good at all.
Las Vegas has tried a laundry list of other players under center in recent seasons, like Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O'Connell, Brian Hoyer and Desmond Ridder. None of these men have been able to turn the franchise around, which left the Raiders with an obvious choice this offseason.
New general manager John Spytek made the plunge for veteran signal-caller Geno Smith, trading a third-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for his talents. He should have another great season in 2025 as he reunites with his former head coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas.
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The addition of Smith should end the revolving door of sub-medicority at the quarterback position for the Silver and Black. In fact, Pro Football Focus recently released their NFL quarterback rankings, and Smith was slotted at No. 10 among his peers.
"Few would have pegged Smith to grade as the sixth-best passer in the NFL over the past two seasons, but here we are," PFF wrote. "In fact, his 85.8 passing grade in that span is just 0.2 points shy of Patrick Mahomes. After being traded for a third-round pick this offseason, Smith should enjoy an improved offensive line but a downgrade in receiving weapons. He protects the football and has a knack for generating big-time throws."
This description may come as a shock to Raider Nation. Not because they are surprised about Smith being praised, but because it has been years since a Las Vegas quarterback has had a glowing review such as this.
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Smith is, far and away, the most highly-anticipated quarterback in recent memory for the Raiders. He also has the highest odds of turning out well, considering his strong track record with Coach Carroll.
The team's set of receiving weapons is already incredibly underrated, as both Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers are emerging stars in the NFL. If the rookie class of wideouts can grow up quickly and both Tre Tucker and Michael Mayer take a leap in their third year, people may be talking about Las Vegas like they have an embarassment of riches.
Other veteran quarterbacks have graced the Silver and Black later in their careers and had plenty of success as well. Smith has the opportunity to join historic names like Rich Gannon, Jim Plunkett and Daryle Lamonica as players on their last leg who can make an impact for the Raiders.