Now that the Seattle Seahawks have agreed to terms with Sam Darnold, it's clear that his interest played a factor in their willingness to trade Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. That said, Seattle had to pay a pretty penny to lock up Darnold.
He's going to get a three-year, $110 million contract from the Seahawks, which isn't that steep of a price for a starting quarterback. In fact, the Raiders have to be happy that Darnold is getting around $36 million a year.
The rumors are that Smith wants a contract that pays him between $40 and $45 million. He's considered in the same tier of quarterback as Darnold so the Raiders might have some negotiating power.
How Darnold's deal could affect Smith
Darnold was better than Smith in 2024 but the latter has been more successful over the past three years. With that in mind, he can make a sound argument that he deserves more money.
However, he shouldn't be expecting that much more. The Raiders may now be able to get Smith at $40 million a year. That's still a lot of money but it's better than having to meet him at $45 million a year.
Now, Smith could still play hardball but he doesn't have a ton of leverage right now. The Raiders only gave up a third-round pick to get him which isn't a massive investment. They also still have an early first-round pick and could tell Smith that they're comfortable going with a rookie after the 2025 season.
It still seems most likely that the two sides will come to a deal. Smith isn't young but at 34, he's still worth a three-year deal. The Raiders are high on him so they'll be motivated to get something done. If they can keep it close to Darnold's number, that'll be a win for the team.