The Las Vegas Raiders solved one quarterback issue this offseason when they traded for Geno Smith. Head coach Pete Carroll has a strong relationship with Smith from his days in Seattle, so John Spytek felt comfortable sending a third-round pick to the Seahawks for a new starter in Las Vegas.
However, it quickly became clear during the preseason that the Raiders would be in hot water if the nearly 35-year-old Smith went down or underperformed. Aidan O'Connell and sixth-round rookie Cam Miller were less than impressive in the team's three exhibition contests.
So, the Raiders needed to add a suitable backup, especially after news broke that O'Connell would be sidelined for 6-8 weeks with a broken throwing wrist.