The Seattle Seahawks traded quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday evening for a third-round decide, elevating questions on their plans transferring ahead.
Head coach Mike Macdonald is getting into his second 12 months, and Seattle’s technique at quarterback stays unclear after dealing Smith, who had one 12 months remaining on his contract.
It’s unlikely this transfer is a part of a grand plan to commerce up into the highest three picks of the 2025 NFL Draft. That might require excess of an extra third-rounder, particularly with the Seahawks holding the No. 18 total choice.
In line with Albert Breer, the Seahawks initially proposed a blockbuster commerce, sending Smith and huge receiver DK Metcalf to the Raiders in trade for defensive finish Maxx Crosby. The Raiders rapidly declined earlier than making Crosby the highest-paid non-quarterback within the NFL.
That rejected provide didn’t finish negotiations, and Smith is now a Raider. In line with Jordan Schultz, Las Vegas plans to work out a multiyear contract with the 34-year-old, making him the longer term face of the franchise.
We might debate whether or not that’s a great choice, particularly in an AFC West that includes Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix.
Nonetheless, the extra puzzling side of this commerce lies with the Seahawks, as a third-round decide is a minimal return for a quarterback of Smith’s caliber.
Seattle additionally launched longtime receiver Tyler Lockett, and it seems Metcalf could also be traded as nicely. Whereas Smith and Metcalf didn’t obtain main success collectively, it’s tough to pinpoint the Seahawks’ path.
The free-agent quarterback market is skinny, headlined by Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Stories on Saturday morning indicated that Darnold is Seattle’s high free-agent goal. Whereas he could be thought-about a “large splash” on this 12 months’s free-agent class, does Darnold actually transfer the needle a lot additional than Smith? His ceiling was on full show this season—and within the postseason—with the Minnesota Vikings.
With the No. 18 decide, possibly the Seahawks ought to goal Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. They may comply with the blueprint laid out by the Denver Broncos final offseason: transfer on from an getting older quarterback, draft a first-round rookie on a five-year, cheap deal and construct round him. That’s how Seattle constructed a Tremendous Bowl staff round Wilson a decade in the past.
Whereas Smith’s arrival in Las Vegas isn’t setting off celebrations on the Strip, the true shock is how prepared the Seahawks have been to maneuver on. They higher have a concrete plan to land Darnold, or this might flip right into a full-blown rebuild in a short time.