Pete Carroll doesn’t want his first year as a coach for the Las Vegas Raiders to be a rebuilding process. He wants to roll the ball as quickly as possible – and that became clear when the Raiders sent a 2025 third round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for Geno Smith and reunited the veteran quarterback with his former coach.
Smith was a two-time Pro Bowl selection under Carroll, with 8,641 yards, 55 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 37 games.
The Raiders had plans to assess all the paths to find a quarterback. But the key was finding someone to help the franchise compete in 2025. The Raiders tried to lure Matthew Stafford from the Los Angeles Rams last week but failed.
As for the Seahawks, they save $31 million in cash and cap space while robbing $13.5 million in dead money. Seattle also has another opportunity to find long-term answers at quarterback.
ESPN reporters Ryan McFadden and Brady Henders will take a closer look and answer four big deal questions, including what comes next. Seattle quarterback fit national reporter Jeremy Fowler has been joined by analyst Ben Solack and analyst draft Matt Miller is looking forward to drafting both teams.
Are the Seahawks heading for a complete rebuild?
No, but they have some big holes – starting from the quarterback and potentially a wide receiver, depending on what happens in DK Metcalf’s trading request. The Seahawks trade Smiths. Not because they wanted to embrace a complete reconstruction, but because they were skeptical of his viability as a long-term starter given him age and plays up and down. And as both parties don’t look at his value when they try to negotiate an extension, the team has got what Smith can do rather than play the final year of his deal.
The Seahawks thought he could take over Smith as a starter when he traded for Sam Howell 12 months ago, but what he showed last season doesn’t suggest he’s ready to take over, let alone bring Seattle into the playoffs. They need a quarterback, but should they come out of the 10-7 season and be veterans, should they build a solid roster around Sam Darnold? Aaron Rogers? Justin Fields? – Tab to replace Smith. As for the release of Tyler Rockett and four other veterans this week, these were the logical decisions that the Seahawks made in every year on a contract that doesn’t justify production. – Henderson
How will Smith fit the attack the Raiders are building with new coordinator Chip Kelly?
The Raiders struggled to score in 2024, finishing 29th in points per game (18.2). Smith and Kelly should improve that in 2025. Smith threw more than 4,000 yards for the second time in three seasons. The tight end Block Bowers were one of the top pass catchers in the league last season despite shaky quarterback plays from Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. By combining him with Smith, you can be surprised by Kelly’s attack.
Kelly is known for carrying out up-tempo attacks, but changed his approach to help Ohio State win the national title. He should be able to design a creative run game that balances offense and reduces pressure on the quarterback. This is the goal of the new system. – McFadden
What else do Raiders need to become a viable candidate for AFC West?
Smith signed the biggest question about the Raiders roster, but there’s still work to do. The Raiders have some needs, especially in offense, if they want to compete in a division featuring three teams that won the postseason in 2024 and won the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. Las Vegas needs to improve their running back after finishing last in rushing yards (79.8) per game in 2024. With the sixth pick in the draft, Las Vegas can address that need by taking Boise’s Ashton Jeanti.
Las Vegas will also need to add another playmaker. The Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers are solid options. However, the Raiders need a number one wide receiver. The Raiders are expected to do due diligence in widespread free agency, a league source told ESPN. However, the possibility of trading with a wide range of receivers should not be ruled out. – McFadden
Will the Seahawks still consider trading Metcalf?
A better question might be this: Will Metcalf reconsider his trade demands with Smith? Money tends to speak louder than anything else, but if some of Metcalf’s complaints over the past few seasons are rooted in his desire to catch a pass from a quarterback other than Smith, his stance will probably change. Regardless of what Metcalf wants, general manager John Schneider has made it clear he will do the best for the Seahawks. That means giving Seattle the best offer or trading Metcalf with a team that trades him and keeps him from extending the final year of his trading.
Before agreeing to Smith’s trade, the Seahawks and Raiders also discussed deals involving Metcalf, so Las Vegas might still be the team to watch. It does not satisfy his reported desire to play for a candidate, but that is not Schneider’s concern. From a financial standpoint, Seahawks saves $31 million with Smith Trade in cash and cap space, making it easier to theoretically fit Metcalf extension into the budget. They need to head to the free agency with $60 million in cap space. – Henderson
Which quarterbacks can the Seahawks try to sign in to free agency?
The Seahawks have a blank canvas to upgrade their quarterbacks. There are plenty of options, but all have risk. A natural fit is Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons, who was with Minnesota offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak. However, Atlanta has shown no desire to move its cousin. Darnold has become a passerby for top free agent and is well versed in the system. Seattle would be wise to at least measure his market.
Rogers’ experiments will be intriguing, but they may not suit the culture that McDonald is trying to build. Seattle then looked at more cost-effective options, such as Field and Daniel Jones. It seems unlikely that Russell Wilson will be reunited. And it’s worth noting that Schneider hasn’t made a big swing at first round quarterback. Despite what is perceived as a class of weak quarterbacks, there is no better time now. – Fowler
How will this change the draft plan for each team?
The Raiders, who trade third rounders for Smith, will effectively pull them out of the quarterback mix, at least early in this draft. In sixth overall, Las Vegas became a true “best player available” team, like when the Bowers took 13th last year. All of a sudden, it’s all playing, even offensive linemen like Jeanty, defensive end Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), and even Will Campbell (LSU).
For Seattle…well, all of the teams that were playoff contenders last season are on the table, but now it seems to have been reset. But unless Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) is still on the board, he probably won’t go to quarterback on No. 18. Seattle is linked to Jackson Dart (Ole Miss) and Quinn Awors (Texas) as a two-round option. The Seahawks picked in 50th place in Round 2. In round one, I think the Seahawks could consider drafting offensive tackles like Armand Membou (Missouri). Membou is great on the move thanks to his strength and speed, and he is versatile enough to play anywhere. It would fit your dreams. – Mirror
what Should Will the Seahawks be playing QB in 2025?
The Seahawks will need to sign bridge quarterbacks and draft speculative QB2 in the mid-round. Remember, Schneider drafted Wilson in the third round of 2012 and He gained great value from Smith as a free agent signing in 2019. Darnold is an ideal bridge candidate as he is familiar with the best ceiling and Kubiak since his shared year in San Francisco. But that applies only if he signs a transaction with one or two years of actual money. If Darnold is overtaken by a medium option on rookie contracts like Jalen Millow (Alabama) and Tyler Schaff (Louisville), then it will get Seattle. If Seattle can’t afford Darnold, Jones also fits it as a suitable bridge option.
Of course, neither the bridge nor the newcomer could develop into anything more until the Seahawks’ offensive line is fixed. It remains Seattle’s biggest offseason priority. – Sorak
