Seahawks players unhappy with Geno Smith's trade to Raiders, claims NFL insider
Seattle Seahawks players are showing frustration over the trade of quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, according to NFL insider Corbin K. Smith.
"Speaking with a couple of current #Seahawks players, they are not happy about this news tonight," Smith tweeted on Saturday.
The Seahawks dealt Smith on Friday for a third-round pick in 2025 from the Raiders, according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones. The trade reunites Smith with Pete Carroll, who departed Seattle to become Las Vegas' coach.
Sports Illustrated reported the parties were roughly $10 million apart in negotiations. Seattle aimed for a $35 million annual extension, while Smith's representatives sought $45 million per year.
Smith played his last three seasons as Seattle's starter, going 28-24. He made Pro Bowls in 2022 and 2023 and guided the Seahawks to a 2022 playoff spot.
Through this deal, ESPN reported that the Seahawks saved $31 million in cash and cap space while assuming $13.5 million in dead money.
Seattle's quarterback situation remains uncertain after Geno Smith trade
Sam Howell heads the depth chart after he was traded to Seattle in March 2024.
He played all 17 games for Washington in 2023, with 21 touchdowns and a near 64% completion rate. The negative: he threw the most interceptions in the league at 21 and was sacked 65 times, an NFL record.
ESPN's Brady Henderson said the Seahawks traded Smith because they were "skeptical of his viability as their long-term starter given his age and up-and-down play."
Seattle has the 18th overall pick in the draft and could take Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. CBS Sports listed Dart as the third-ranked QB prospect this season. The team also has the 50th overall pick in the second round.
ESPN analyst Ben Solak referred to Sam Darnold as "the ideal bridge candidate" because of his "ceiling and some familiarity with (offensive coordinator Klint) Kubiak from their shared year in San Francisco."
Aaron Rodgers, Justin Fields and Daniel Jones are other possibilities. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler also mentioned that Seattle might look at Atlanta's Kirk Cousins, who worked with Kubiak in Minnesota.
Before dealing Geno Smith, Seattle made him and DK Metcalf available to Las Vegas for pass rusher Maxx Crosby. The Raiders turned the offer down and instead signed Crosby to a contract that made him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history.
Following a 10-7 campaign, the Seahawks have around $60 million of cap space heading into free agency.