Geno Smith’s Contract Doesn’t Dictate Raiders’ Draft Strategy…
Just because the Raiders recently extended Geno Smith doesn’t mean they’re out of the market for a quarterback early in the draft.
The reality is, Smith’s deal only locks the team in for, at most, two years. If they decide to move on after the 2025 season—and are okay letting him pursue a bigger payday elsewhere in 2026—they could part ways after paying him around $40 million total.
A few weeks back, after Matthew Stafford opted to stay with the Rams, the Raiders explored other quarterback options. While the front office reportedly looked at several veteran QBs (excluding Aaron Rodgers), the coaching staff wasn’t keen on handing the reins to a rookie. Smith, with his ties to new head coach Pete Carroll from Seattle, ended up being the middle ground.
But that doesn’t mean the Raiders won’t still consider a quarterback—particularly Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders—at pick No. 6.
The key takeaway: Smith’s presence doesn’t eliminate the possibility of drafting a QB. If the Raiders liked Sanders before acquiring Smith, there’s no reason the new contract should change that.
And stranger things have happened. Just last year, the Falcons stunned many—Kirk Cousins included—by drafting Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall despite having just signed Cousins to a $90 million deal.
Whether or not Sanders is available at No. 6 remains to be seen. But if he is, and the Raiders view him as their future, Smith’s contract shouldn’t stand in the way.
In short: Smith doesn’t rule Sanders in—or out. The deal shouldn’t sway the Raiders’ draft decision either way.
