The Las Vegas Raiders are trading veteran quarterback Geno Smith to the New York Jets, back where Smith's NFL career began.
The Las Vegas Raiders are moving on from its veteran quarterback that led the team to a 3-14 finish in 2025.
This trade sends Smith back to where it all began for him in the National Football League and ends Las Vegas’ headache with the 35-year-old. The Raiders were going to release Smith if the organization couldn’t complete a trade before the start of the new league year.
Smith is excited to be back with the Jets and describes it as a full circle moment.
“Complete full circle moment back to where it all began,” Smith texted NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “I’m excited to connect with my new teammates and coaches and everyone in the building as well as build a new relationship with the fan base and community.”
Smith was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks for a 2025 third-round pick when former head coach Pete Carroll hand-picked him to be his QB in Las Vegas after he coached him to two consecutive Pro Bowl selections and the AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2022.
Upon arrival, Smith signed a massive two-year extension worth up to $85 million. That quickly backfired, as in just 15 games, Smith went 2-13 and completed 67.4 percent of passes while throwing for 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns and leading the NFL with 17 interceptions.
Coach Carroll had bold aspirations for his team in the first season of a three-year deal, claiming he would have them in playoff contention. Instead, he was canned as a one-and-done after securing the franchise the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, which will be used on Smith’s replacement – Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza.
The Jets selected Smith with the 39th selection in the 2013 NFL draft and started all 16 games in his first season, going 8-8 with a 55.8 completion percentage, 3,046 yards, 12 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. His 2014 season was rough, as he was benched midseason in favor of Michael Vick after a game in which he threw three interceptions in the first 10 minutes.
Smith finished with a 3-10 record, 59.7 completion percentage, 2,525 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. That season ended his tenure as the starter and he played just one game in 2015 and two in 2016 before leaving for the New York Giants in 2017. Smith was the backup to Russell Wilson in Seattle for two seasons before winning the starting job in training camp in 2022.
That season, Smith was excellent. He led the NFL with a 69.8 completion percentage, was eighth in passing yards (4,282), third in touchdowns (30) and threw just 11 interceptions. His next couple of seasons were solid, hence why Carroll wanted to take Smith with him to the Raiders, but it didn’t work out.