The Seattle Seahawks raised a significant number of eyebrows in the 2025 offseason, as they decided to part ways with longtime starting quarterback and All-22 film deity Geno Smith, handing Sam Darnold a three-year contract. After a few weeks, Seattle appears to have made out like thieves in the night after trading Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
After winning in Week 1 against the New England Patriots, virtually nothing has gone right for the Raiders. They were thoroughly outclassed by the Indianapolis Colts in a blowout that saw Indy go up 40-3 before the fourth quarter even came around.
Smith assuredly had something to do with that, as he threw two interceptions in those three quarters. On the season, the 34-year-old who just signed a big new contract with Vegas has six touchdown passes and just nine interceptions on the campaign. Those nine picks lead the NFL.
While the Seahawks appear to have once again let go of a popular veteran player right as they were about to hit a downward trajectory, the Raiders are now stuck with an expensive, underperforming quarterback who could sink Carroll's tenure.
Seahawks made out great from Geno Smith trade as Raiders fall to 1-4
What makes these struggles even more bizarre is the fact that Raiders OC Chip Kelly has been a safe haven for quarterbacks. However, the man who once got 27 touchdown passes and two interceptions out of Nick Foles hasn't been able to work the same magic with Smith.
While Smith supporters and Raiders fans will likely point to his admittedly terrible offensive line, Smith's cavalier style of play is resulting in more turnovers than it did when he was with the Seahawks. With age starting to become a factor, there is reason to believe that fans have seen the best of Smith already.
Darnold, meanwhile, has been one of the most efficient and effective quarterbacks in the entire league. With Seattle's defense giving them the reinforcement they need to become one of the more well-rounded teams in the league, Darnold's leadership might be enough to get this team into the playoffs.
While Darnold and the Seahawks effectively turn the page to a new era, Smith and the Raiders are stuck in the same doldrums of mediocrity they found themselves in during the Antonio Pierce era. The Seahawks have been up and down lately, but this organization seems to be very well-run from the top-down.