Well, that was a shocker!
Just as we were all settling in for our Friday night, doing whatever it is we all do on Friday nights — hit the bar, watch the new RuPaul’s Drag Race go out for weekly family dinner — the Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Huh? Did we even know Geno was on the trade block? What are the Seahawks going to do now? What does this all mean?
Let’s take a look at some winners and losers now that Geno Smith is on the move, reunited with Pete Carroll.
Winner: Geno Smith
In recent days, the Seahawks have cut Tyler Lockett and had star receiver D.K. Metcalf ask for a trade, severely weakening Seattle and leading questions to the team’s plans for the future.
Now, Geno Smith is no longer stuck in the mud that is the Seahawks. He’s stuck in some different mud in Las Vegas, but it’s a thinner mud, one that could wash off if the Raiders make the right moves this offseason. If Smith can maintain his recent level of play in his new digs, this Vegas team could make some noise. Good for Geno.
Loser: Aidan O’Connell
I think we all knew the Raiders weren’t going to go into 2025 with Aidan O’Connell (or Desmond Ridder) at quarterback, but this move guarantees that.
There was a chance free agency and the draft went poorly enough for Vegas that the team was forced to stick with one of their current quarterbacks for another year, but that door is closed. O’Connell should stick as the backup, but he can’t be happy to see a player as good as Geno Smith arrive in Vegas.
Winner: Jakobi Meyers
It feels like people have spent Jakobi Meyers’ entire career talking about how good he would be if he played with a good quarterback — he only had one season with Tom Brady in New England and has been in purgatory ever since. He finally gets that chance in 2025.
Last season, Meyers recorded the first 1,000-yard season of his career, catching 87 passes for 1,027 yards and four touchdowns. He showed after the Davante Adams trade that he could be a No. 1 receiver, or at least that he could be the No. 1 wide receiver on a team whose real No. 1 receiver is an elite tight end. That’s not meant as an insult — with Brock Bowers occupying defenders and Smith slinging the ball, 2025 could be a real breakout for Meyers.
Loser: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
After a quiet rookie year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba took on a larger role in 2024, catching 100 passes for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns. JSN made the Pro Bowl and looked to be on his way toward being one of the league’s best receivers.
But this offseason has been a disaster. If D.K. Metcalf is indeed traded, Smith-Njigba will head into 2025 without another top receiver on the other side of the field, which will lead tolot more double teams on the former Ohio State star. So, he gets to be the No. 1 guy, but the situation isn’t nearly as good. We could probably call that a wash.
But then you add in that the Seahawks go from Smith to someone else at quarterback, that complicates things. Will Sam Howell be the quarterback? A veteran free agent? A rookie from the second tier of rookie quarterbacks? That all sounds like a downgrade, unless Seattle can make a big splash.
Winner: Sam Darnold
This would be the splash, and is the one move that keeps the quarterback situation in Seattle from being a complete disaster.
But Darnold isn’t a winner because of his hypothetical fit in Seattle. He’s a winner because this is another suitor. The more teams available to pursue Darnold, the more money he can demand in free agency. Maybe that money comes from the Seahawks. Maybe it doesn’t. But money’s money, right?
If Darnold winds up in Seattle, the situation would be a downgrade from Minnesota, but it wouldn’t be the worst situation in the world. Having Smith-Njigba at wide receiver would at least give him a good weapon to work with, and Seattle has a good run game to take pressure off him.
Loser: Shedeur Sanders
Just like this move opens an opportunity for Darnold in free agency, it closes an opportunity for Shedeur Sanders in the draft.
Sanders probably wasn’t going to fall to No. 6, but if the Giants pass on him at No. 3, the Raiders were the next team positioned to grab him.
Now, he could fall to the Jets at No. 7, a team that’s been a disaster for young quarterbacks. I’m not saying I believe the Jets have a quarterback curse; I’m just saying that Sanders losing the Raiders as a landing spot isn’t ideal.