The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of new faces on the squad this season, and one of them is veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Smith is the starter in Vegas, playing for his former coach Pete Carroll. One NFL executive is throwing in his two cents about the Raiders' new acquisition.

“Geno gives them instant credibility at the position, and Pete and Geno seem to have good chemistry together, so it's a good way for both of them to start,” the executive said, per ESPN. “I figure they will look to draft a quarterback in the next few years, but for now they have an answer.”

Smith comes to the Raiders after spending the last several years with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks and Smith couldn't come to an agreement on a contract extension this offseason. As a result, the Seahawks agreed to deal Smith to the Raiders. Seattle got a NFL Draft pick in return that allowed them to select quarterback Jalen Milroe from Alabama.

The Seahawks also brought in veteran quarterback Sam Darnold this offseason, who excelled last year in Minnesota.

“Darnold and Geno to me are very similar, solidified starters but not in the top end,” an NFL personnel director said. “Geno has more of a track record as a passer, but Darnold threw 35 touchdowns last year, so if he can play close to how he did last year, that's a great situation and opportunity for him. And Milroe has a different skill set. If he develops and figures out how to be a quarterback, he will become a really interesting player for them.”

The Raiders are searching for answers and victories as a franchise

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Las Vegas had a pitiful season in 2024. One of the reasons why is the team could never find a reliable answer at the quarterback position. As a result, the Raiders finished the year with just four wins.

Las Vegas then brought in a new coach in Carroll, who had spent some time out of coaching. The Raiders' first big move after that was trading for Smith. With the band getting back together, it will be interesting to see if that finally leads to success for the Raiders. Las Vegas has had just a small handful of playoff appearances in the last 20 years.

The Raiders also drafted Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with their first NFL Draft pick. Jeanty was selected sixth overall. This squad will have a totally new offense this coming season, so time will tell if the Smith trade truly works out.

Training camp begins for Las Vegas in July.