The Las Vegas Raiders are poised to shake up their roster, with expectations high that they'll select Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick in 2026. This move casts a long shadow over Geno Smith's future with the team.
Smith's performance last season left much to be desired. While the offensive struggles weren't solely on his shoulders-given the team's lack of talent and questionable play-calling-Smith's decision-making certainly didn't help his case.
With the recent firing of former head coach Pete Carroll, who initially brought Smith on board, the likelihood of Smith being cut or traded seems to be increasing. Although no official announcement has been made, some Raiders fans are speculating about Smith's next move, especially after he posted a cryptic message on social media: "THANK YOU LORD 🙏🏿."
After a challenging season, it's understandable why Smith might be ready for a fresh start. If the Raiders do decide to part ways with him, either through a trade or release, there are teams in need of a quarterback who might be interested in seeing if Smith can rediscover the form he showed with the Seattle Seahawks.
However, trading Smith comes with its own set of challenges. He still has two years remaining on a $75 million contract, signed after he was traded last offseason. Unless the Raiders are willing to absorb a significant portion of that salary, a trade could be difficult to execute.
If the Raiders opt to release Smith before June 1, they would face an $18.5 million dead-cap charge but save $8 million. While such a financial hit might be daunting for many teams, the Raiders have ample cap space to absorb it without derailing their offseason strategy.