Originally published by RaidersNewswire.com
It’s been a busy offseason for the Las Vegas Raiders as they will be looking a lot different by the time the 2026 season rolls around.
They will, most notably, have a new head coach and quarterback. The Raiders brought in Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to be their head coach fresh off his Super Bowl win, and they presumably will be drafting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
Mendoza will take over for Geno Smith, who had one disappointing season with the team after being acquired in a trade with the Seahawks last offseason.
The Raiders were widely expected to release Smith, but instead, they have found a trade partner in the New York Jets, via NFL.com:
The Raiders are trading the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback to the New York Jets, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday, per sources. Las Vegas is sending a 2026 seventh-round pick with Smith in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round selection, moving up from No. 228 to No. 208 in the upcoming draft.
Pelissero added that the Raiders will be paying the bulk of Smith’s salary to facilitate the trade and the Jets will get the QB while paying a little over the league minimum.
The Raiders received a late-round pick swap from the Jets, while Smith gets the return to the organization that drafted him, something he is excited about:
“Complete full circle moment back to where it all began,” Smith, who was expected to be released, told Rapoport following news of the expected trade. “I’m excited to connect with my new teammates and coaches and everyone in the building as well as build a new relationship with the fan base and community.”
Raiders general manager John Spytek has done a nice job with the team’s two big trades this offseason, getting a massive haul for Maxx Crosby and now a late-round swap for Smith instead of releasing him.
With Smith no longer on the roster, the Raiders will have Mendoza and Aidan O’Connell under contract once the former gets draft. It will be interesting to see if they add a veteran presence to that group who could help mentor Mendoza or if they stick with O’Connell as their primary backup.
Raiders were busy on first day of free agency
The Raiders were the busiest team in the league on the first day of free agency, making use of their cap space. They notably brought in center Tyler Linderbaum, wide receiver Jalen Nailor, cornerbacks Taron Johnson and Eric Stokes, defensive linemen Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce, linebackers Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, and kicker Matt Gay.
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