Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith traded to Las Vegas Raiders
Geno Smith traded to Las Vegas Raiders
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith is headed to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick.
SEATTLE - Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith is being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick.
A source confirmed with FOX 13 Seattle's Curtis Crabtree that the trade is expected to be finalized next week.
The news comes days after the Seahawks released longtime wide receiver Tyler Lockett, and DK Metcalf requested a trade from Seattle.
Reports: Wide receiver DK Metcalf asks for trade from Seattle Seahawks
On the same day as the Seattle Seahawks released Tyler Lockett after 10 seasons, wide receiver DK Metcalf reportedly has asked to be traded.
Smith had one year remaining on his contract. The Seahawks will get the No. 92 overall selection in the draft from the Raiders, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.
This ends Smith's five-year stint in Seattle. He originally took over the starting quarterback job from Russell Wilson in 2021.
In the 2024 season, Smith finished with 4,320 yards, 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions with a 70.4% completion rate. The 34-year-old has spent 11 seasons in the NFL.
General manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald had each been steadfast in their commitment to Smith as the team's quarterback.
"It's pretty obvious this guy is a heck of a quarterback," Smith said in an interview with FOX 13's Aaron Levine last month. "He's our quarterback. We love him. Can't wait to go to work with him. We've had a lot of non-football conversations – to keep it legal – over the last month or so. And I know he's really excited about Klint taking over. This guy, yeah, he's a great player, man. And we can win a championship with Geno Smith. We really believe that and can't wait to get back to work with him."
Schneider said that he had planned to speak with Smith's agents at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last week about a potential contract extension.
Instead, the Seahawks have now pivoted away completely from Smith and will be looking at a new direction for quarterback.
The question that remains is what was the pivot point for Seattle? Was it purely a disagreement over the value of a new contract that led to the decision to move on from Smith? Was it a decision to reset the path forward altogether once Metcalf asked for a trade earlier this week?
According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, the two sides were far apart in negotiations. Seattle was looking at around $35 million a season with Smith's camp pushing for $45 million a year.
Smith's contract was set to cost $45.5 million against the salary cap this season, per OverTheCap.com. In trading Smith to the Raiders, the Seahawks will free up $31 million in additional cap space this season. A Metcalf trade would free up another $10.875 million as well.
Both moves would move Seattle well into the top ten of the league in cap space ahead of the start of the new NFL league year on Wednesday. However, a new quarterback could eat up a sizable chunk of that space.
Multiple reports have already linked Sam Darnold as a possible fit for Seattle as the Minnesota Vikings declined to use the franchise tag on him this week. Darnold and new Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak spent time together with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 when Kubiak was the team's passing game coordinator.
The trade now reunites Smith with former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who the Raiders hired in January. Smith spent four years playing under Carroll with the Seahawks – two as the backup to Russell Wilson and two as the starting quarterback.
Las Vegas Raiders hire Pete Carroll as head coach, sources say
The 73-year-old will become the oldest coach in the league once again.
The Source: Information in this story is from Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, OverTheCap.com, and original reporting from FOX 13 Seattle's Curtis Crabtree.
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