Raiders’ True Feelings on Geno Smith Leaked to Insider
The Las Vegas Raiders were really excited about what Geno Smith could do for the team this season, but he has been a big disappointment. The team is 1-4, and Smith leads the NFL with nine interceptions.
The Raiders couldn’t have seen this coming, as they gave Smith a two-year contract extension in the offseason. Despite the quarterback’s rough play, the team hasn’t given reps to another quarterback yet.
It’s clear that head coach Pete Carroll still believes in Smith, but they can’t keep putting him on the field if he’s gonna consistently turn the ball over. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Raiders aren’t giving up on Smith yet, but doubt is starting to creep in.
“I would classify it as mildly concerned,” Fowler wrote. “The Raiders know Smith has to play better — and soon — but there’s no sentiment that Smith is a broken quarterback. So I’m not expecting him to get benched or anything this week. Scouts I have talked to believe Smith has been too late with the ball this season and is relying on arm talent to force throws into tight windows. On the flip side, the Raiders were without their top two tight ends (Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer) and left tackle Kolton Miller on Sunday against Indianapolis. And the receiver depth is not great overall.
“Also, his two picks against the Colts weren’t blatantly bad decisions. The Colts appeared offside on one of them, resulting in a batted pass, and Smith said he threw to a spot where a receiver was supposed to sit against Cover 2 coverage on the other. The situation is obviously not good, but as was pointed out to me by someone with the team, Raiders coach Pete Carroll and Smith have enough sweat equity together from their Seattle days that Carroll could stick with him a little longer as a result.”
Raiders to Ride Things out With Smith?
The Raiders traded for Kenny Pickett before the season, and Aidan O’Connell should come back at some point. The team will have options if they decide that Smith isn’t playing good enough.
However, it sounds like the Raiders would prefer to just keep Smith as the starter for the whole season, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
“If the season spirals down the drain, could the Raiders look at Kenny Pickett? Possibly,” Graziano wrote. “That’s what the Browns were trying to do before they drafted two quarterbacks and Pickett got hurt in camp before landing in Las Vegas on a trade. But for now, it sounds like the Raiders will ride it out with Smith. What I’m hearing from a lot from people around the league is that offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s scheme isn’t creating enough advantages to overcome the Raiders’ personnel deficiencies, and there’s no margin for error if Smith keeps turning the ball over as much as he has.”
Would Benching Smith Actually Help Raiders?
The thing with Smith is that he’s shown he can be a borderline top-10 quarterback in the past. Pickett and O’Connell have never gotten anywhere close to that.
That’s likely why the Raiders will keep starting Smith until he can finally get out of this funk. He has the highest upside of any of their quarterbacks, and they’re paying him big money regardless. If Las Vegas had an exciting rookie, then yeah, there would be a reason to pivot at quarterback, but neither Pickett nor O’Connell is likely to be a long-term starting quarterback option.
Trade Idea Has Raiders Land $10.5 Million QB as Geno Smith Replacement
The Las Vegas Raiders were considering multiple quarterback options this offseason, but landed on a trade for Geno Smith. That wasn’t a big surprise, as Smith and head coach Pete Carroll have a very good relationship.
Unfortunately, Smith hasn’t been playing well for the Raiders. He’s thrown nine interceptions this season, which is the most in the NFL. He’s been having a difficult time seeing the field, and his decision-making is suspect.
While he’s new with the team, Smith has been in the NFL for over a decade and is nearly 35 years old. The Raiders don’t seem like they’re eager to give up on the quarterback, but if Carroll doesn’t want to lose the locker room, he might have to make some tough calls.
Kenny Pickett is the backup, but he doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence. There’s another quarterback that Carroll had a lot of success with, who could be on the market. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report floated the Raiders as a trade suitor for New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson.
“The primary reason Wilson might draw interest? He’s cheap,” Knox wrote. “With a base salary of just $2 million, he would be a budget alternative for any team currently getting poor quarterback play or in need of a veteran mentor.
“He will also remain the most sensible QB target if and when another starter goes down with a long-term injury.”
Should Raiders Trade for Wilson?
The cost for Wilson in a trade should be very low. He lost his starting job to rookie Jaxson Dart and hasn’t looked like a Pro Bowl quarterback in years.
It’s difficult to see how adding Wilson changes anything for the Raiders. He may not turn the ball over as much as Smith, but he also hasn’t been making that many plays. If things get bad enough to where Las Vegas feels like they need to bench Smith, they’re better off seeing what a younger quarterback like Pickett or Cam Miller can do.
Smith Trying to Manage Emotions
Smith has dealt with plenty of adversity throughout his career, but it seemed like he moved past that with his successful stint as the Seahawks starter. He’s learning quickly that helping turn around the Raiders is a much harder job.
He’s doing everything he can to keep his emotions in check despite the rough start.
“You’ve got to be a mature adult about your emotions,” Smith said Wednesday. “You’ve got to find life outside of football as well. You never want to put all your eggs in one basket. I think a lot of guys struggle to transition after football because we devote so much time to this.
“But this is what we do, not exactly who we are. And so, for everyone who’s dealing with mental health, I would advise them to seek counseling, try to find an outside source so that you can get it out and whatever you’re going through, you’ve got to be able to push through it, man. But you also need someone to talk to. So, find someone to talk to and then do your best to manage your emotions.”
