On Friday afternoon, Jan. 24, Geno Smith posted on his Instagram story an old picture of him and his former head coach Pete Carroll, who he was with on the Seattle Seahawks. The two were together in Seattle from 2020-23 before Carroll and the organization parted ways.
Carroll played an important part in Smith’s development and breakout season. Smith was playing the best football of his career under Carroll, including his career year in 2022 where Smith threw for 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. In addition, Smith totaled 366 rushing yards and a touchdown. The duo also made the playoffs twice.
Are Geno Smith and Pete Carroll Reuniting in Las Vegas?
Before Smith posted that Instagram story, Carroll agreed to come out of his one-year hiatus and be the next head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. After the news broke, Smith posted that old picture and allegedly subsequently followed the Raiders on Instagram.
Smith might have indirectly hinted he would like to be traded and reunited with his former head coach in Vegas. Now, whether it will happen is another story, but for now, it is definitely interesting to speculate upon.
#Seahawks Geno Smith is known for cryptic messages.
👀
[📸: Geno Smith/IG Story] pic.twitter.com/EZTqPQ1oZJ— HawkMania (@hawkmania4) January 24, 2025
Smith is eligible for an extension this offseason and there is no guarantee Seattle wants to extend him. If the two parties cannot agree on an extension, Seattle will end up trading him. Smith’s indication of going to Vegas could make it easier for Seattle to put together a deal.
READ MORE: NFL Insiders Reveal Raiders May Pursue $305.3 Million Quarterback After Hiring Carroll
Another important aspect of this situation would be how much it would cost to land Smith in a trade and what his next contract would look like. Considering Smith is 34 years old, the Seahawks should not expect more than mid-to-late-round draft picks.
As far as his next contract, the Raiders should not worry about that either as they have the second-most salary cap space to work with this offseason at $95 million. It should be fairly easy for the two parties to come together on something that keeps Smith happy as well as having money to fill other needs on the roster.
This Makes Sense for All Parties
Landing Carroll is a huge win for the Raiders. Even though he is 73 years old, he is still a very solid head coach and a Super Bowl champion. He will not be there for the long term, but the Raiders need fixing, and he can do that.
Adding a guy like Smith would be helpful for the Raiders as well. He is 34 years old, so he will not be your franchise quarterback but could put together a couple of good seasons to delay the issue for a roster with other holes to address.
READ MORE: Seahawks Star WR DK Metcalf Ignites Rumors of Trade to Chargers With Social Media Post
Also, acquiring Smith would help them during the 2025 NFL Draft, as they would not have to worry about missing out on Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. Las Vegas has the No. 6 pick in the current NFL Draft order. Smith (2024 QB+ grade: 77.6, 15th in the NFL) assuming he does not regress, could give the Raiders the best quarterback play they have had since Derek Carr (2019 QB+ grade: 86.0).
This potential trade would also make sense for Smith as he gets to reunite with the head coach who ultimately got the most out of him.
