Pete Carroll doesn’t want his first year as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders to be a rebuilding process. He wants to get the ball rolling as soon as possible — and that became clearer Friday when the Raiders sent a 2025 third-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for Geno Smith, reuniting the veteran quarterback with his former coach.
Smith was a two-time Pro Bowl selection under Carroll and recorded 8,641 passing yards, 55 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 37 games.
The Raiders had plans to evaluate every avenue to find a quarterback. But the key was finding someone who will help the franchise be competitive in 2025. The Raiders attempted to lure Matthew Stafford from the Los Angeles Rams last week but were unsuccessful.
As for the Seahawks, they will save $31 million in cash and cap space while taking on $13.5 million in dead money. Seattle will also have another opportunity to find a long-term answer at quarterback.
Taking a closer look, ESPN reporters Ryan McFadden and Brady Henderson answer four big questions about the trade, including what comes next. National reporter Jeremy Fowler dishes on fits at quarterback for Seattle, analyst Ben Solak weighs in and draft analyst Matt Miller looks forward to the draft for both teams.
Are the Seahawks heading for a complete rebuild?
No, but they’ll have some big holes to fill — starting at quarterback and potentially wide receiver depending on what happens with DK Metcalf‘s trade request. The Seahawks are trading Smith not because they want to embrace a full rebuild but because they’ve been skeptical of his viability as their long-term starter given his age and up-and-down play. And with the two sides not seeing eye-to-eye on his value as they attempted to negotiate an extension, the team is getting what it can for Smith now instead of having him play out the final year of his deal.
The Seahawks thought when they traded for Sam Howell 12 months ago that he had the potential to succeed Smith as their starter, but nothing he showed last season suggests he’s ready to take over, let alone take Seattle to the playoffs. They’ll need a quarterback, but coming off a 10-7 season, they should field a solid roster around whatever veteran — Sam Darnold? Aaron Rodgers? Justin Fields? — they tab to replace Smith. As for the releases of Tyler Lockett and four other veterans this week, those were logical decisions — with contracts not justifying production — that the Seahawks would have made in any year. — Henderson
How does Smith fit in the offense the Raiders are building with new coordinator Chip Kelly?
The Raiders struggled to score in 2024, finishing 29th in points per game (18.2). Smith and Kelly should improve that in 2025. Smith threw for more than 4,000 yards for the second time in three seasons. Tight end Brock Bowers was one of the top pass catchers in the league last season despite shaky quarterback play from Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. Pairing him with Smith could do wonders for Kelly’s offense.
Kelly is known for running up-tempo offenses, but he changed his approach to help Ohio State win a national title. He should be able to design a creative run game that balances the offense and provides less pressure on the quarterback — which has been the goal for the new regime. — McFadden
What other needs remain for the Raiders to be viable contenders in the AFC West?
Acquiring Smith answered the biggest question on the Raiders’ roster, but there’s still work. The Raiders have a handful of needs, especially on offense if they want to compete in a division that featured three teams making the postseason in 2024 and the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. Las Vegas will need to improve at running back after finishing last in rushing yards (79.8) per game in 2024. With the No. 6 pick in the draft, Las Vegas could address that need by taking Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty.
Las Vegas also has to add another playmaker. Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers are solid options. However, the Raiders still need a No. 1 wide receiver. The Raiders are expected to do their due diligence in free agency for a wideout, a league source told ESPN. But the possibility of trading for a wide receiver shouldn’t be ruled out either. — McFadden
Will the Seahawks still consider trading Metcalf?
The better question might be this: Will Metcalf reconsider his trade request with Smith gone? Money tends to talk louder than anything else, but if any part of Metcalf’s discontent over the past few seasons has been rooted in his desire to catch passes from a quarterback other than Smith, then perhaps his stance will change. Regardless of what Metcalf wants, general manager John Schneider has made it clear that he’ll do what’s best for the Seahawks. That means trading Metcalf to the team that gives Seattle the best offer — or not trading him and having him play out the final year of his deal absent an extension.
Before agreeing to the trade for Smith, the Seahawks and Raiders also discussed a deal involving Metcalf, so Las Vegas might still be a team to watch. That wouldn’t satisfy his reported desire to play for a contender, but that won’t be Schneider’s concern. From a financial standpoint, the $31 million the Seahawks save in cash and cap space with the Smith trade theoretically makes it easier to fit a Metcalf extension into their budget. They should have north of $60 million in cap space heading into free agency. — Henderson
Which quarterbacks could the Seahawks look to sign in free agency?
The Seahawks now have a blank canvas to upgrade their quarterbacks. The options are plentiful, but all carry risk. A natural fit would be the Atlanta Falcons‘ Kirk Cousins, who was with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak in Minnesota. But Atlanta has not shown a willingness to move Cousins. Darnold will be the top free agent passer and also has familiarity with that system. Seattle would be wise to at least gauge his market.
A Rodgers experiment would be intriguing but might not fit with the culture Macdonald is attempting to build. After that, Seattle would be looking at more cost-effective options such as Fields or Daniel Jones. A Russell Wilson reunion seems unlikely. And it’s worth noting that Schneider hasn’t taken a big swing on a first-round quarterback. No better time than now, despite what’s perceived as a weak quarterback class. — Fowler
How does this change the draft plan for each team?
The Raiders trading a third-rounder for Smith effectively takes them out of the quarterback mix, at least early in this draft. At No. 6 overall, Las Vegas can now be a true “best player available” team like it was when it took Bowers at No. 13 last year. Jeanty, defensive end Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M) and even an offensive lineman like Will Campbell (LSU) are suddenly all in play.
For Seattle … well, everything is on the table for a team that was a playoff contender last season but now seems to be resetting. But going quarterback at No. 18 isn’t likely unless Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) is still on the board. Seattle has been linked to Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) and Quinn Ewers (Texas) as second-round options, though. The Seahawks pick at No. 50 in Round 2. In Round 1, I think the Seahawks could consider drafting an offensive tackle like Armand Membou (Missouri). Membou is awesome on the move thanks to his strength and quickness, and he’s versatile enough to play anywhere. That would be a dream fit. — Miller
What should the Seahawks do at QB for 2025?
The Seahawks should sign a bridge quarterback and draft a speculative QB2 in the middle rounds. Remember, Schneider drafted Wilson in the third round in 2012 and got great value from Smith as a free agent signing in 2019. Darnold is the ideal bridge candidate because he has the highest ceiling and some familiarity with Kubiak from their shared year in San Francisco. But that only applies if he’s signed to a deal with only one or two years of real money. That would give Seattle an out if Darnold gets outplayed by a midround option on a rookie deal such as Jalen Milroe (Alabama) or Tyler Shough (Louisville). Jones would also fit as an adequate bridge option if Seattle can’t afford Darnold.
Of course, neither a bridge nor a rookie has much chance of developing into something more until the Seahawks’ offensive line is fixed. That remains Seattle’s biggest offseason priority. — Solak
