The Las Vegas Raiders made their trade to acquire quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks for a 2025 third-round pick official on Thursday. They are giving up the extra third round pick they got from the New York Jets in the Davante Adams trade, which is small price to pay when it means upgrading the most important position on the field.
Acquiring Smith heading into the final year of his contract comes with the obvious follow-up of signing him to a contract extension. The per year average of that looming deal is as cut and dry as it gets, and a $16 million roster bonus Smith is due in his existing contract serves as a de facto deadline to get an extension done.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tried to stir up concern about the Raiders actually getting a multi-year deal done with Smith quickly after the trade became official. But it can be brushed aside as much ado about nothing, unless something changes dramatically.
Report confirms when Raiders and Geno Smith will have a contract extension done
Upon the trade becoming official, Tashan Reed of The Athletic confirmed the timeline for the Raiders and Smith to have a contract extension done.
"Smith should receive a contract extension from the Raiders this week, according to league sources. He's going into the final year of a three-year extension he signed with Seattle back in 2023. While he has no guaranteed money left on the deal, he's due a $16 million roster bonus on Sunday. That's the artificial deadline for the Raiders to sign him to a new contract if their intention is to lower his 2025 cap hit, which is currently set to be $31 million."
Reed did add the caveat that Smith is "almost guaranteed" to be the Raiders' starter in 2025. Reed also reiterated his previous reporting regarding a quarterback still being an option in the first round of the draft, or possibly in the later rounds as Smith "will not be excluded" from having competition by head coach Pete Carroll.
But strictly in terms of getting a contract extension done with Smith, regardless of the $16 million roster bonus looming due on Sunday, it was always in line to happen quickly. And unless things really go off the rails at record speed, it shall be done in short order.