It’s something that seemed extremely unlikely when he was acquired last year, but it has become very likely ever since, the Las Vegas Raiders are walking away from starting quarterback Geno Smith after just one season.
ESPN reports Smith will be cut Wednesday, when the new league year starts, barring an unexpected trade. It gives the salary-cap rich Raiders $8 million in cap space.
Smith joins the man who brought him to Las Vegas, head coach Pete Carroll, as a former Raider. The Smith-Carroll combination was supposed to bring the Raiders to relevance. But it ended up being a disaster that lasted just one season.
The Raiders sent a third-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks for Smith last March. He had success with Carroll there.
But it didn’t work in Las Vegas. The Raiders went 3-14 and Carroll was fired a day after the season.
It was also apparent the Raiders were going cut ties with Smith as well. He was brutal as a Raider as he had 19 interceptions and just 17 touchdowns with the team. He struggled on a weekly basis.
Smith, 35, signed a three-year contract with $66.5 million guaranteed. He was fully expected to be the team’s starter in 2026.
Now, the Raiders, who won the No.1 overall draft pick, are expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as they re-work their quarterback room. Smith’s backup, Kenny Pickett, is a free agent and third-stringer Aidan O’Connell, is entering his final year of his contract. They will likely sign a veteran backup.
So, the rebuilding of the Raiders’ quarterback room has began, as expected.
