One of the bigger pieces of information that we didn’t expect to come out during this free agency craziness was the trade of quarterback Geno Smith from Seattle to Las Vegas. The deal seemed to come out of nowhere, as many reports indicated that negotiations on an extension were underway. 
After seeing a resurgent past three seasons in Seattle that included two Pro Bowl berths, Smith was hoping for the team to give him some commitment moving forward, though the team was expected to explore their options. After head coach Mike Macdonald delivered his endorsement of a new deal for Smith and new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak cited Smith as a “huge draw” for the job, it began to seem that things were trending in the right direction for an extension to keep Smith in Seattle.
A little over a week after negotiations opened, though, the trade was announced. According to a couple of sources, the trade was a direct result of the Seahawks and Smith failing to come to agreeable terms on the extension. Per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, general manager John Schneider claimed that it had become “apparent” that the two sides were not going to be able to meet in the middle.
The 34-year-old quarterback still had one year left on his current deal, but he had been public about his desire for a new contract that reflected his status as a “top-tier” passer. Dugar’s report from Schneider says that when Seattle submitted what they thought was a fair offer, it quickly became clear that “there was no back and forth coming.” Schneider said that “it wasn’t a very long negotiation” before it became “pretty evident” that Smith would need to be traded.
Despite the hardball-negotiation-nature that that implies, Schneider told The Athletic that Smith did not ask for a trade. Likewise, the Seahawks did not shop Smith out. The Raiders simply reached out with interest at the right time, and after not getting a counteroffer from the extension they offered to Smith, Seattle felt it was making the right move for all parties involved.
The other report on this situation comes from Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. While Schultz’s rendition aligns with Dugar on much of the developments of the extension discussions, Schultz disagrees with Dugar on two major points. Schultz claims that, after four days of unsuccessful contract negotiations — which doesn’t seem to agree with Schneider’s description of quick negotiations — Smith requested a trade last Thursday night.
Whether or not it was Smith that requested the trade, the Seahawks that shopped Smith out, or the Raiders who intervened on Smith’s behalf ultimately may not end up mattering that much. Seattle was never going to get up to the number Smith desired, and with a “major sign-off from Tom Brady,” new head coach Pete Carroll was able to bring over his former quarterback to the Raiders. Now, we’re seeing reports that Las Vegas is nearing an extension agreement with Smith, indicating that the Raiders may be more willing to reach that number that Smith desired.