Despite happening in the early days of the offseason, the trade that sent quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders in March is by far their most important move.
Since releasing Derek Carr during the 2023 offseason, the Raiders have had to wade through the muck at the quarterback position. High-profile free agent signings such as Jimmy Garoppolo and Gardner Minshew flopped, and 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell is more of a spot starter. With Smith now joining the fold, the Raiders now hope that their quarterback play elevates them to the next level instead of holding them back.