Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
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(Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
After one season with the Las Vegas Raiders,ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 6, citing sources, that the team intends to release veteran QB Geno Smith, barring a trade, before the start of the new league year on March 11.
Smith had signed a two-year, $75 million extension after arriving in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks that cost Las Vegas a 2025 third-round pick.
The veteran had a disastrous 2025 NFL season, posting a passer rating of 84.7 with 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions in 15 games,per StatMuse.
Nonetheless, releasing Smith will create $8 million in salary cap space for the Raiders, though the move will carry $18.5 million in dead money,per ESPN.
With his Raiders tenure now reportedly over, the next question is, where does Smith land next? ESPN’s Kevin Clark has two landing spots for the signal-caller once his release becomes official.
“Good news and bad news for Geno Smith,”Clark said on the March 6 edition of “NFL Live.” “The good news is you can explain some of this away last year with the fact that it was a hopeless situation.The bad news is that the destinations you can go to arealso hopelesssituations.
“The New York Jets, where your mission, if you choose to accept it, is frankly job preservation. In Miami, it might be to get Arch Manning. That might be your job if you become the quarterback there.”
Geno Smith Has Limited Prospects to Be Starting QB in 2026
Moreover, Clark went into detail about Smith’s poor play and the cards he was dealt in the Raiders situation, leading to an underwhelming 2025 season. As a result, Smith can see only the Jets and Miami Dolphins as his two viable destinations if he wants to be a starting QB in 2026.
“So he was by far the most sacked quarterback in football last year,” Clark added. “He had a run game.It was stuck at the line far more than anybody else in football. So this was a tough situation for Geno Smith. I think in a different system, with different coaches and different talent around him, he could have had a good year last year.
“That just wasn’t in the cards. He didn’t play well. He made mistakes. He’s going to be on the second or even third tier of available quarterbacks. You’re looking at Jets or Dolphins at best if he wants to start.”
Recapping Geno Smith’s Stint With the Raiders
Initially, the Raiders believed pairing Smith with head coach Pete Carroll, whom he played under for six seasons with the Seahawks, would lead to immediate success. That plan did not work out.
Pass protection was inconsistent throughout the season. Smith was sacked 55 times and faced pressure on 194 occasions. Offensive coordinator Chip Kellywas fired after Week 11, and tight end Brock Bowers dealt with a knee injury during the first half of the season.
Even so, inconsistency in the pocket played a role in the Raiders putting together one of the worst seasons in franchise history. Now, he will be looking for a fresh start elsewhere.