Seattle’s Quarterback Conundrum: What’s Next After Trading Geno Smith?

The Seattle Seahawks traded quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday night for a third-round pick, raising questions about their plans moving forward.

Head coach Mike Macdonald is entering his second year, and Seattle’s strategy at quarterback remains unclear after dealing Smith, who had one year remaining on his contract.

It’s unlikely this move is part of a grand plan to trade up into the top three picks of the 2025 NFL Draft. That would require far more than an additional third-rounder, especially with the Seahawks holding the No. 18 overall selection.

According to Albert Breer, the Seahawks initially proposed a blockbuster trade, sending Smith and wide receiver DK Metcalf to the Raiders in exchange for defensive end Maxx Crosby. The Raiders quickly declined before making Crosby the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

That rejected offer didn’t end negotiations, and Smith is now a Raider. According to Jordan Schultz, Las Vegas plans to work out a multiyear contract with the 34-year-old, making him the future face of the franchise.

We could debate whether that’s a good decision, especially in an AFC West featuring Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix.

However, the more puzzling aspect of this trade lies with the Seahawks, as a third-round pick is a minimal return for a quarterback of Smith’s caliber.

Seattle also released longtime receiver Tyler Lockett, and it appears Metcalf may be traded as well. While Smith and Metcalf didn’t achieve major success together, it’s difficult to pinpoint the Seahawks’ direction.

The free-agent quarterback market is thin, headlined by Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Reports on Saturday morning indicated that Darnold is Seattle’s top free-agent target. While he would be considered a “big splash” in this year’s free-agent class, does Darnold really move the needle much further than Smith? His ceiling was on full display this season—and in the postseason—with the Minnesota Vikings.

With the No. 18 pick, maybe the Seahawks should target Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. They could follow the blueprint laid out by the Denver Broncos last offseason: move on from an aging quarterback, draft a first-round rookie on a five-year, inexpensive deal and build around him. That’s how Seattle built a Super Bowl team around Wilson a decade ago.

While Smith’s arrival in Las Vegas isn’t setting off celebrations on the Strip, the real surprise is how willing the Seahawks were to move on. They better have a concrete plan to land Darnold, or this could turn into a full-blown rebuild very quickly.