Las Vegas Raiders

After acquiring Geno Smith to be their quarterback, the Las Vegas Raiders have rewarded him with a new contract.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Smith has agreed to a two-year extension with the Raiders that will keep him under contract through 2027.

Smith's new deal is worth $85.5 million with $66.5 million guaranteed, according to Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz.

#Raiders superstar DE Maxx Crosby to me on new QB Geno Smith’s extension: “I’m hyped. Geno’s a baller and exactly what we needed for this team and organization. It starts with the work and commitment. The brotherhood. Now it’s our time to prove that. Let’s go win.” https://t.co/i3SZWY4EF8

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 3, 2025

Any questions about the Raiders' plan at quarterback in 2025 were answered on March 7 when they agreed to a deal with the Seattle Seahawks for Smith. Las Vegas is sending a third-round pick back to Seattle in the trade.

The trade reunited Smith with new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll. They worked together for five seasons in Seattle from 2019 to '23.

Smith has credited the longtime coach with helping to resurrect his career, saying on NFL Films Presents in 2023 that Carroll instilled a "self-confidence" that helped him succeed when he was given the chance to start for the Seahawks after Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos.

Pete Carroll breathed confidence back into @GenoSmith3, and a leader emerged 💪 @Seahawks

Full #NFLFilmsPresents story tonight 8:30pm ET on @fs1 pic.twitter.com/ifKmVTnnWz

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) October 25, 2023

Even though the trade didn't seem to be contingent on Smith getting a new contract, it always seemed like an inevitable outcome. He was entering the final season of his three-year, $75 million deal with the Seahawks signed in March 2023.

Per Over the Cap, Smith's $25 million average salary on his previous deal ranked 19th among all quarterbacks. He was sandwiched between Baker Mayfield ($33 million) and former Raiders starter Gardner Minshew ($12.5 million).

Minshew was released at the start of the new league year on March 12.

The Raiders entered this offseason trying to find an upgrade at quarterback. They made a strong push to trade for Matthew Stafford before he decided to remain with the Los Angeles Rams.

There was a possibility the Raiders could land a quarterback with the sixth pick in the 2025 draft, but acquiring Smith affords them the opportunity not to force the issue if they don't like the options available.

It also allows the Raiders to avoid a situation where they might feel pressured into trading up, especially at a point where they need as many draft assets as possible to infuse talent onto their roster.

Smith will help the Raiders close the gap between themselves and the other three teams in the AFC West. They were the only team in the division that didn't win at least 10 games in 2024 (4-13).

Trying to be competitive in the same division as the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos is a Herculean task, but the Raiders have a terrific foundation in place now.

Maxx Crosby, fresh off signing the richest contract for a non-quarterback in NFL history, is arguably the best defensive player in the league. Brock Bowers was an All-Pro first-team selection at tight end after a historic rookie season.

Even though the Raiders offensive line isn't great, it's better than what Smith had to work with in Seattle last season.

Since becoming a full-time starter in 2022, Smith ranks fourth among all quarterbacks in passing yards (12,226) and eighth in touchdowns (71). His 4,320 passing yards last season would have been the most for a Raiders quarterback since 2021 when Derek Carr threw for 4,804 yards.

That was also the last time the Raiders made the playoffs. Smith will look to end that drought now that he's in Las Vegas and equipped with a brand new contract.

Geno Smith's contract was a quick focal point after the Las Vegas Raiders acquired him from the Seattle Seahawks via trade this offseason, and one NFL executive believes the AFC West team should be patient with the quarterback.

"They can franchise him twice, so why would they lock themselves into him unnecessarily?" the executive said in a Wednesday piece by Mike Sando of The Athletic. "Tom Brady is not going to rip it up and give him $45 million a year. They should go year to year."

The 2025 campaign is the final one on Smith's current contract, but that doesn't mean there has to be significant urgency from the Raiders' perspective to ink him to a long-term deal. As the executive said, the franchise tag remains an option as the front office evaluates the position as a whole.

But key members of the Raiders suggested the team is potentially building toward a longer deal.

"We're working on it," head coach Pete Carroll told reporters Monday. "Yeah, we're working on it. [Smith's] excited to get going, get started. He'll be here when we get rolling. But we are working on it."

General manager John Spytek said, "we look forward to having him not just this year, but for years to come."

GENO SMITH IS A RAIDER 😱@GenoSmith3 | @Raiders pic.twitter.com/bHmBFAKIbP

— NFL (@NFL) March 8, 2025

There was a time in Smith's career when he was best known as someone who didn't live up to expectations as a 2013 second-round draft pick for the New York Jets. He then bounced around to the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before joining the Seahawks as a backup.

Yet he turned his career around when given a starting opportunity in Seattle and was a back-to-back Pro Bowler in 2022 and 2023. While interceptions were a concern last year (15), he also threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns on the way to a 10-7 record as a starter.

Seeing how Smith is 34 years old and had a poor track record prior to the last three years with the Seahawks, there is something to be said about not immediately committing to a long-term deal before he even takes the field for the Raiders.

That could mean his price tag goes up in the future if he continues to play at a high level, but it would also give Las Vegas a bit more protection if there is inconsistency.

After being acquired from the Seattle Seahawks and reuniting with head coach Pete Carroll, veteran quarterback Geno Smith could be getting closer to receiving the payday he's been seeking.

While speaking to reporters at the NFL's annual league meetings on Monday, Carroll said that the Raiders are moving toward signing Smith to a contract extension at some point this offseason.

"We're working on it," Carroll said, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "Yeah, we're working on it. [Smith's] excited to get going, get started. He'll be here when we get rolling. But we are working on it."

The 2025 season is the final year on Smith's current contract, and he reportedly didn't counter an offer from the Seahawks for a two-year extension in the range of $40-45 million per year before eventually requesting to be traded. He received a $16 million roster bonus from the Raiders that triggered on March 16, but he's understandably seeking the stability of a long-term deal.

Raiders general manager John Spytek echoed Carroll's optimism that Smith's extension will get done soon.

"We look forward to having him not just this year, but for years to come," Spytek said.

Las Vegas surrendered a third-round draft pick to Seattle to acquire Smith, so it would be a surprise if the team only wanted him to be a one-year bridge. The Raiders own the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but they're likely to miss out on top quarterback prospects Cam Ward of Miami and Shedeur Sanders of Colorado.

Carroll coached Smith for six years with the Seahawks, so he's looking forward to working with him again for years to come.

"Getting Geno was a really important part of this puzzle we're putting together," Carroll said. "He has really a rich background, which was really important to me because I know what we can count on. A guy that is such a great worker, he's grown so much throughout his career, been through so much and overcome so much. I love the way he approaches the game. He's serious, he's competitive. He works his tail off. He's a great leader in that regard. He leads the guys by the way he takes to the game. Man, he's talented, really talented."

After his record-breaking rookie season, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers got to relive some of his greatest moments.

Bowers reacted to his best plays and built the ultimate NFL tight end in a new video for House of Highlights:

Bowers said that his ultimate tight end would have the size of Rob Gronkowski, the hands of Antonio Gates, the speed of Vernon Davis, the route-running of Travis Kelce and the toughness of George Kittle.

The 22-year-old appears to be on the path to join those players as an all-time great. After being selected by the Raiders with the 13th pick in the 2024 draft, he wasted no time in establishing himself as an impact player. He set an NFL rookie record with 112 receptions and a record for rookie tight ends with 1,194 receiving yards while adding five touchdowns.

Bowers was able to produce despite Las Vegas' instability at the quarterback position, as the team shuffled between Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder throughout the year on its way to finishing with a 4-13 record. The Raiders will have the No. 6 pick in the 2025 draft.

The 2025 season already appears to be more promising for Bowers, as Las Vegas acquired veteran quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks. The move reunited Smith with new head coach Pete Carroll, who was hired to replace Antonio Pierce.

It can be expected that big things will be in store for Bowers in his sophomore campaign as Carroll tries to rebuild the Raiders into a playoff contender.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith is set to receive a $16 million roster bonus on Sunday, per Tashan Reed of The Athletic.

Reed noted that the bonus can essentially be converted into a larger signing bonus if Smith receives an "expected" contract extension from the Raiders.

On March 7, Las Vegas acquired the veteran passer in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. The Raiders sent the Seahawks a 2025 third-round pick in return.

Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported that Seattle and Smith were engaged in negotiations regarding a potential extension "all week" prior to the trade, but the Seahawks were "not willing to come to the number Smith desired."

They offered the signal-caller a two-year extension in the range of $40-45 million per year, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

Smith is entering the final season of a three-year, $75 million contract that he signed with the Seahawks in 2023. He'll carry a cap hit of $31 million during his 2025 campaign.

The Raiders can lower his cap hit with a potential extension, which appears to be a possibility.

Reed previously reported Thursday that Smith should receive a contract extension from Las Vegas "this week."

The 34-year-old failed to exceed expectations with the Seahawks last season, but he earned Pro Bowl honors in 2022 and 2023. In 17 starts during Smith's 2024 campaign, he completed 70.4 percent of his passes for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns compared to 15 interceptions.

Geno to Lockett to give us a one possession game 🔥

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/44dQcSwg3o

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 11, 2024

A familiar face could help the quarterback get back on track, as he'll be reuniting with new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll. Carroll and Smith were together on the Seahawks from 2020-23.

As Las Vegas looks for some stability under center in 2025, its new starting quarterback could be in line for an extension with a roster bonus due on Sunday.

The Las Vegas Raiders may be out of the mix for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, according to The Ringer's Todd McShay.

"Just reading some of the tea leaves, I don't know that Shedeur at six is going to be the answer," McShay said on Monday's The McShay Show (34:30 mark). "I don't think there's going to be a marriage there. We'll see what happens."

The Raiders might not be completely opposed to adding a quarterback in the draft despite trading a 2025 third-round pick for veteran passer Geno Smith on Friday, though.

"Keep an eye on Will Howard, Raiders," McShay said (35:46 mark). "Keep an eye on that."

Howard, who started under center for Ohio State in 2024, already has ties to Las Vegas' coaching staff. New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly previously served as the Buckeyes' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach with Howard before he was hired by the Raiders on Feb. 2.

While Las Vegas may be hesitant to target a quarterback such as Sanders early in the first round with Smith projected to start entering the team's 2025 campaign, Howard could serve as a long-term successor.

Even though Smith has proven himself as a capable starter with the Seattle Seahawks, he'll also be turning 35 years old before the end of the 2025 regular season.

In the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department, Las Vegas was projected to add LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell with the No. 6 overall selection.

The first round of the 2025 NFL draft starts on April 24.

Aaron Rodgers' list of potential free-agent suitors is getting smaller after the Las Vegas Raiders agreed to a deal for Geno Smith in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks on Friday.

Per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, one source explained the Raiders "simply weren't interested" in Rodgers before making the move for Smith.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the Raiders were sending a 2025 third-round draft pick to Seattle in exchange for Smith.

Smith makes a lot of sense for the Raiders with Pete Carroll as their head coach. Carroll was one of Smith's biggest champions dating back to when he originally joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2019.

After Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos in March 2022, Smith took over as the starting quarterback. He resurrected his career that season, leading the Seahawks to the playoffs and winning Comeback Player of the Year.

There were some reports early in the offseason suggesting the Raiders could pursue Rodgers, but it never seemed like their interest was ever all that strong.

Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press reported on March 5 that Rodgers "would be" an option for Las Vegas only "if he could fit into offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's system."

The only obvious suitor for Rodgers at this point is the New York Giants. The Seahawks have a quarterback opening right now, but their efforts seem focused on Sam Darnold.

There's a quarterback opening with the Pittsburgh Steelers, as well, but Pelissero said on Friday's episode of The Rich Eisen Show (starts at 2:30 mark) that bringing back Justin Fields "appears to be plan A" for them, but Rodgers could wait to see what happens there.

💻 @TomPelissero #NFLFreeAgency opens next week and the @nflnetwork insider gave us the ultimate primer to get ready — buckle up!#NFL #NEPats #DallasCowboys #FlyEaglesFly #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/SUiNBvI2Gh

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) March 7, 2025

New York made a strong push for Matthew Stafford in a trade before he decided to remain with the Los Angeles Rams. Neither the Giants nor Steelers currently have a quarterback under contract.

The Giants also have the ability to potentially draft a quarterback very early in the first round, with some thought they are looking to trade up to No. 1 overall for the purpose of selecting Cam Ward.

Drafting a quarterback doesn't necessarily preclude the Giants from also signing Rodgers, but they may not want to create any sort of competition for a rookie coming into the league.

Rodgers does benefit from the fact that free agency comes before the draft and the Giants haven't made a trade to acquire the top pick, so they might need to sign him him just an insurance policy.

Whatever happens with Rodgers will likely be determined on Monday when the legal tampering period begins. He threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and completed 63.0 percent of his passes for the New York Jets last season.

The Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly considering multiple avenues by which to add a veteran quarterback this offseason.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Raiders are exploring their QB options on both the free-agent and trade markets, and they could possibly trade for a current starting quarterback.

The Raiders reportedly plan to release Gardner Minshew when free agency begins next week, and they previously non-tendered Desmond Ridder, leaving Aidan O'Connell and the inexperienced Carter Bradley as the only quarterbacks on the roster.

In 2024, the Raiders missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season after finishing 4-13, which was their worst record since 2014.

Poor quarterback play was a big reason for the team's struggles, as Minshew threw for 2,013 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 10 appearances and nine starts.

O'Connell wasn't as mistake-prone in his nine games and seven starts, but he didn't do enough to make the Vegas offense truly dangerous, throwing for 1,612 yards, eight touchdowns and four picks.

The Raiders cleaned house at the end of the season, firing head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco and replacing them with Pete Carroll and John Spytek.

Additionally, legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady was officially approved as a minority owner of the franchise, and he has seemingly had a hand in some of the major decisions.

The Raiders own the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, meaning they could try to find a young, franchise quarterback that way.

However, assuming Miami's Cam Ward is taken before the Raiders pick, there may not be a franchise quarterback available.

Colorado's Shedeur Sanders is widely viewed as the No. 2 quarterback in the draft, but NFL draft insider Todd McShay reported that some teams felt Sanders did not take a "professional approach" to his interviews at the NFL Scouting Combine, leading to questions about whether he could fall in the draft.

If the Raiders aren't comfortable with the idea of taking Sanders or another quarterback in the first round of the draft, their only other viable option would be to sign or trade for a more accomplished signal-caller.

For now, the top quarterbacks set to hit free agency next week are Sam Darnold, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Aaron Rodgers also figures to get released by the New York Jets after the team announced their plan to move on from him.

In terms of a trade, Kirk Cousins may be the top candidate available after losing his starting job with the Atlanta Falcons to Michael Penix Jr.

The Raiders were reportedly one of two teams heavily in on Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Per Russini, the Raiders and New York Giants were willing to offer Stafford a two-year, $90 million deal, but Stafford and the Rams ultimately came to an agreement and the decision was made not to trade him.

Most of the remaining options aren't as accomplished or attractive as Stafford, but if the Raiders truly don't see much upside in their year's quarterback draft class, signing or trading for a stopgap solution may be the best move for the organization.

Las Vegas Raiders edge-rusher Maxx Crosby stressed that he wanted to be a winner during a press conference announcing his historic $106.5 million extension with the team (h/t Sean Zittel of Vegas Sports Today).

“It’s one thing to be the face of a franchise, but I want to be a winner.”

Raiders star Maxx Crosby speaks after inking a 3-year extension with the team, making him the highest paid non-QB in NFL history.

🎥: By @Sean_Zittel, Vegas Sports Today#RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/SWJXzlAAcP

— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) March 5, 2025

Per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Crosby inked a three-year, $106.5 million extension with $91 million guaranteed. The extension runs through the 2029 season. The $35.5 million annual average value is the highest in NFL history among non-quarterbacks.

It's clear the Raiders are building their team around Crosby moving forward, but there's much more work to be done.

The general manager-head coach tandem of Tom Telesco and Antonio Pierce lasted just one season and resulted in a 4-13 record.

The Silver and Black have since hired GM John Spytek, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' ex-assistant general manager, and head coach Pete Carroll to usher in a new era. They're tasked with running a team that hasn't won a playoff game since 2002.

Both are used to winning though. Spytek has two Super Bowl rings, one as a scout for the 2015 Denver Broncos and another as the 2020 Bucs' director of player personnel. Carroll won a Super Bowl for the 2013 Seattle Seahawks as their head coach.

So the table could be set in Vegas, but more work needs to be done.

“This program is built around competition, and we’re always in pursuit of finding great competitors that will help us build a great team,” Carroll said. “And there’s no way we could find anybody that is more focused and directed and committed to giving everything he’s got to every opportunity he’s going to get (than Crosby). And so for us to make this statement today, (it’s) like it fits perfectly, and we’re so proud to have Maxx be part of the organization.”

Crosby, a six-year veteran, is a four-time Pro Bowler with 59.5 lifetime sacks. Despite his great individual success, the Raiders have largely fared poorly, posting just one winning season since 2019.

So it's clear to see why Crosby wants to win. As for Vegas' new leadership, extending Crosby is a good start, of course, as they hope to turn the tide in Vegas.

Shut down any trade rumors about Maxx Crosby because the four-time Pro Bowler has signed a massive contract extension with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Crosby will become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL after agreeing to a three-year, $106.5 million deal with $91.5 million guaranteed to stay in Las Vegas.

The Raiders have been busy on this Wednesday, with NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reporting earlier in the day that Gardner Minshew II will be released before the start of the new league year on March 12.

While it's unclear at this point what the cap implications are for Crosby's new deal because the structure has not yet been made available, the Raiders were sitting at $95.4 million in cap space. Minshew's release, when it becomes official, will clear $6.3 million to bring the total up to $101.7 million.

The Raiders had the second-most cap space in the NFL even before the Minshew news, so they always seemed likely to be among the most active teams in spending when free agency began.

Crosby's extension allows the Raiders to keep their best player happy. Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap did note the structure "will be telling" since Crosby had two years remaining on his previous contract, giving the team "all kinds of ways" to give off the appearance of a huge annual salary even with some funny money baked in.

Structure of the Crosby contract will be telling. He still had two years remaining so there are all kinds of ways to get to a monster APY, some of which are legit and some of which are not. Veteran pass rushers will be paying close attention

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) March 5, 2025

Crosby's average annual salary now sits at $35.5 million, surpassing Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson ($35 million) as the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

This deal is also extremely relevant to Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett, who are two of the few EDGE rushers with a reasonable argument that they are better than Crosby.

Per ESPN's pass-rush win rate, Parsons ranked third among all EDGE players in the NFL (23 percent) and Garrett was sixth (22 percent) last season. Crosby was ninth at 20 percent, but he's also an elite run defender with a 37 percent run-stop win rate that ranked second among all EDGEs. Neither Parsons nor Garrett made the top 10 in 2024.

Parsons would seem likely to sign an extension with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. He's entering the final season of his rookie contract and recently opened contract talks with the team, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.

It would be a huge upset if Parsons' eventual deal didn't make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. He could also end up being the highest-paid non-quarterback, but the timing could determine that since the Cincinnati Bengals have already said they intend to make Ja'Marr Chase the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL.

Garrett could have some difficulty in matching the total value of Crosby's deal because he's two years older, but his annual salary could end up in the same vicinity.

Of course, the question for Garrett is which team might be paying him on a new deal. He still has two years remaining on his five-year, $125 million contract signed in 2020.

Even though the Cleveland Browns would like to work out a new deal to keep their star pass-rusher happy, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on Feb. 27 that Garrett is "not open" to an extension amid his trade request.

The Raiders' offseason has to be about finding foundation players they can build around. They currently only have two obvious candidates in Crosby and Brock Bowers.

There's plenty of cap space remaining, even after Crosby's extension, for the Raiders to improve their roster. They just have to hit on some free agents and draft picks to make it happen.