The Las Vegas Raiders kickstarted the offseason quarterback carousel on Friday when they sent a third-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for veteran signal-caller Geno Smith. It will be a reunion for him and new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, who worked together for four seasons in Seattle.
Minority owner Tom Brady has had a major voice in the front office's decision-making this offseason, especially as it pertains to the quarterback position. Brady's comments from a press conference in 2022 have resurfaced after the signing, and it is obvious that he has been a fan of Smith for years.
"He's making great decisions, passing the football very well to guys that are open, he's getting the ball to 'em," said Brady. "(He) hasn't had many turnovers. He has enough athletic ability to extend some plays."
Brady competed against Geno Smith for several seasons in the AFC East when he was on the Patriots and Smith was on the Jets. While Smith only beat Brady a single time in his career, the journeyman quarterback earned the respect of the greatest player to ever play the game.
Smith will be a massive upgrade for the Raiders under center this season and could command $45 million when the team decides to extend him. He threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns last season and completed 70.4% of his passes.
He regressed last season under first-year head coach Mike MacDonald, but with Carroll as his head coach, Smith was a two-time Pro Bowler and was top 10 in MVP voting in 2022. If Tom Brady believes in his abilities, then so should Raider Nation.
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This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 5:22 PM.