Seahawks grade out poorly for sending Geno Smith to Raiders

The Seahawks didn't do very well in the Geno Smith swap.

Jun 10, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks on during the team stretch during Las Vegas Raiders Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks made the rather shocking choice to trade Geno Smith away to the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. After his inspiring career turnaround, the Seahawks, who were a borderline playoff team with Smith last season, swapped him out for Sam Darnold.

In return, they got a third-round pick, one that was somewhat ironically used on Jalen Milroe, another QB. The deal was a surprise, and it's not one that has aged very well for the Seahawks. For the Raiders, though, it was a win in Bleacher Report analyst Kristopher Knox's eyes.

"The deal was a big win for Las Vegas and, specifically, new head coach Pete Carroll. Smith will turn 35 in October, but he's a Pro Bowl-caliber signal-caller at his best," Knox said. "By reuniting him with Carroll, the team should have a chance to open a playoff window within the next couple of seasons."

For Las Vegas, the price they paid was "more than reasonable," as was the two-year, $75 million extension he signed. This came after Seattle initially considered extending Smith, but they pivoted away and traded him when it became apparent that it wasn't going to happen.

"The trade represented a big risk by the Seahawks since it required them to find a new starter after Smith delivered three consecutive winning seasons," Knox said. "Seattle got its guy in Darnold, who probably has more long-term upside than Smith. However, that doesn't change the fact that the return was underwhelming for a starting-caliber QB."

In a sense, the simple fact that the Seahawks got something out of Smith, who was likely destined for free agency anyway, is a small win, but they could've gotten more. Knox gave them a C for their part, and he gave the Raiders a resounding A.

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