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New Regime Drew Geno Smith To Raiders

April 10th, 2025 at 3:40pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

At first glance, the surprising trade that sent Geno Smith from the Seahawks to the Raiders appeared to be about money.

It’s a familiar story in the NFL: a player wants more money than his current team is willing to offer, and requests to be traded to a new team who will meet his demands. That seemed to be the case when the Raiders gave Smith a two-year, $75MM extension a few weeks after they acquired him.

But Smith insists that the move wasn’t only about money, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. His relationships with key members of the Raiders’ new regime – head coach Pete Carroll, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, and minority owner Tom Brady – showed him the respect and opportunity he could have in Las Vegas.

Carroll forged a lasting bond during Smith’s career turnaround in Seattle, which included a Comeback Player of the Year award in 2022 and a three-year, $75MM extension in 2023. Though Carroll left the Seahawks in 2024, the two remained in touch as Smith navigated the ups-and-downs of a 10-7 season under a new head coach.

“I would call him whenever I got frustrated,” said Smith (via Breer). “He talked me through things, and he still coached me. And I think that’s what makes him such a special man, is that he was coaching me even when he wasn’t my head coach. A lot of the things that he was telling me, a lot of conversations we had really kept me steady throughout the season, and kept my head on straight.

In January, the Raiders hired Carroll as their next head coach. Two months later, negotiation talks between Smith and the Seahawks broke down, leading them to take calls on a potential trade. Seattle wanted to work with Smith on finding his new home and notified his agent of the Raiders’ interest.

Having Carroll as his head coach was a plus. So was the Raiders’ new offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, who tried to recruit a teenage Smith to Oregon more than a decade ago. The two renewed their connection when Kelly coached Smith’s cousin, star wideout Jeremiah Smith, at Ohio State.

“We never got the chance to be player-coach,” said Smith. “But I’ve always wanted to explore that. We’ve always had a good rapport with one another.”

And then there was Brady, the legendary quarterback who bought a minority stake in the Raiders in 2024 and played a major role in their organizational overhaul this offseason. Brady recognized the mental traits that will give Smith a chance at playing into his 40s, like Brady did, and his vote of confidence loomed large in Smith’s mind.

With excitement about the franchise’s new leadership and the prospect of a financial commitment past 2025, Smith realized that the Raiders offered the brightest future.

“I just thought the opportunity in Vegas, man, it was just too, too, too great to pass up,” he said.

Raiders Arrange Visits With Shedeur Sanders, Will Campbell, Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger

April 10th, 2025 at 11:14am CST by Adam La Rose

Set to select sixth overall, the Raiders find themselves in an interesting position as the countdown to the draft continues. The team could go in several different directions, and a number of first-round options are being examined through pre-draft visits.

Vegas lined up a large number of top-30 visits yesterday, and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports the group included LSU tackle Will Campbell and Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham. Both prospects are viewed in the tier below presumed No. 1 pick Cam Ward and the highly-regarded duo of Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. Depending on how the Patriots and Jaguars operate with the fourth and fifth selections, though, neither Campbell nor Graham may be available once Vegas is on the clock.

The Raiders’ work also included their previously-reported visit with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The Heisman runner-up has frequently been mentioned as a logical fit for Vegas given the team’s struggles on the ground last season and resultant need to find a long-term Josh Jacobs successor. Selecting Campbell or Graham instead would leave a vacancy in the backfield (at least until later in the draft), but it would help shore up the line of scrimmage for a team looking to rebound from a 4-13 season.

A large part of that effort has been the acquisition of quarterback Geno Smith. The trade sending him to the Raiders was recently followed by a two-year extension putting him on the books through 2027, but the team is still interested in exploring rookie signal-callers. Among those with a visit planned is Shedeur Sanders, per Breer. The Colorado passer’s Vegas meeting will take place on Monday, he adds.

Vegas has previously been connected to Sanders, whose stock remains a key talking point in advance of the draft. A fall out of the first round is not expected, but the strength of prospects at other positions for teams not immediately in need of a signal-caller could lead them in another direction. Still, the Browns and Giants have been linked to Sanders interest, and his visit with the Steelers (set to select 21st overall) today illustrates the extent of his list of suitors.

Sanders is not the only QB prospect being looked into. As Breer notes, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Ohio State’s Will Howard were present yesterday, along with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. Those three passers face a wide range of draft outcomes, but Dart has gained steam for first-round consideration. Ewers and Howard are more logical targets if Vegas – now led by head coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek and (to a notable extent) minority owner Tom Brady – plans to wait until after Day 1 to add a quarterback .

Also present for Wednesday’s prospect summit was Carson Schwesinger, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. The UCLA product is seen as one of the top linebackers in the 2025 class, and he is slated to hear his name called sometime in the second round. Vegas owns pick No. 37, which could be used on Schwesinger based in part on how yesterday’s visit went. With respect to the team’s top selection, though, several options are on the table and are receiving consideration.

Browns Host Several QB Prospects; Raiders To Meet With Jaxson Dart

April 8th, 2025 at 10:36pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday was a busy day in Cleveland, where the Browns hosted a number of quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. According to a few different sources, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, and Louisville’s Tyler Shough all were on site for visits in Cleveland today.

Don’t be mistaken, despite recent buzz for Dart and Milroe as potential first-rounders, neither player is likely being considered a target at No. 2 overall. More likely, the Browns are exploring the possibility of utilizing their current first-round pick on one of either Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado athlete Travis Hunter then either taking a quarterback at the top of the second round or trading back into the first round for one.

Dart seems like the least likely to land in Cleveland. In order to draft Dart, it’s starting to look like the Browns would need to trade well into the first round. Dart has been noted as a player under consideration as the Saints (No. 9 overall pick) explore their options for a quarterback of the future. If Dart gets passed over in favor of a sliding Shedeur Sanders or some other prospect, the Steelers could move on the Ole Miss product to take over after Aaron Rodgers (or if Rodgers never signs). After visiting with the Browns today, Dart will visit next with the Raiders, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He’s also spent “considerable time” with the Giants and Rams.

If Dart does go to New Orleans or some other team early, the Steelers have also been linked to Milroe. Pittsburgh really likes Milroe due to his elite athleticism. The Alabama product has plenty of shortcomings as a quarterback prospect, but many believe that, if they can coach up some of those areas of concern, his athleticism will be too big of an asset to pass up. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Milroe had private workouts with both Cleveland and New Orleans that were described as “impressive.” Today’s top-30 visit with the Browns was reported by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cabot also reported Shough’s participation.

Shough has not really been the subject of many rumblings about the first round, but as a quarterback, he may just sneak in. Should Cam Ward, Sanders, Dart, and Milroe all come off the board after Pittsburgh is done selecting at No. 21 overall, the Browns may find it safe to trade up a pick or two into the first round to take Shough.

While it would be a safe bet that Shough could fall to them at the top of the second round, moving up slightly likely wouldn’t cost Cleveland too much draft capital. Also, trading into the first round for any of the above prospects would provide Cleveland the luxury of a fifth-year option, giving them more time to develop whatever young passer they may acquire.

Raiders To Host RB Ashton Jeanty

April 7th, 2025 at 9:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Like all other teams, the Raiders are busy hosting several prospects in advance of this month’s draft. One of the players headed to Vegas this week is the top running back in the 2025 class.

The Raiders are set to host Ashton Jeanty, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. He adds the Heisman runner-up will fly in tomorrow. Vegas owns the sixth overall pick in the draft, and as a result the team will likely be within range to select Jeanty.

Several mock drafts have linked team and player in this case, given the Raiders’ struggles on the ground last season. Year 1 of the post-Josh Jacobs era did not go according to plan, with Zamir White averaging only 2.8 yards per carry. Alexander Mattison was not much more efficient, and he has departed in free agency. Vegas added Raheem Mostert last month after he was cut by the Dolphins. The veteran figures to have a role on offense in 2025, but it would come as no surprise if a notable draft investment were to be made in the backfield.

Jeanty enjoyed an extremely productive tenure at Boise State, winning the Mountain West’s Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2023 and again last season. After totaling 2,729 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2024, Jeanty earned All-American honors and took home the Maxwell Award. The three-year Broncos contributor headlines a strong running back class, one which is expected to see North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton also hear his name called on Day 1.

Having already met with the Bears and Cowboys, Jeanty is not expected to fall outside the top 15-20 picks. He will likely be off the board well before that range, and the Raiders are certainly among the teams to watch with respect to selecting him. How the team proceeds will of course depend in part on how the upcoming visit goes.

Rapoport adds that Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is also slated to visit the Raiders. Vegas’ starting situation has been assured with the decision to trade for and extend Geno Smith, but the team could of course be in the market for adding a rookie past the opening round of the draft. Ewers – whose final Longhorns season included injuries and less-than-expected production – is one of many Day 2 prospects in the 2025 class; the Raiders own one pick in each of the second and third rounds.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/7/25

April 7th, 2025 at 7:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

Raiders To Cut CB Jack Jones

April 6th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Rory Parks

Jack Jones started more games at cornerback than any other Raider last season, but he will not be back with Las Vegas in 2025. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Las Vegas is cutting Jones, which follows a report from Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal indicating the club was first attempting to trade him. Bonsignore said the Raiders would cut Jones if they could not find a trade partner by tomorrow, and it appears no suitor emerged.

A fourth-round pick of the Patriots in 2022, Jones entered the league with a history of disciplinary issues dating back to his time at college. However, he delivered a promising rookie season, logging a 54% snap share and recording a pair of interceptions, six passes defensed, and one forced fumble. He also allowed a modest completion percentage of 54% as the nearest defender in coverage.

A July 2023 arrest for trying to bring a loaded gun onto a plane foreshadowed a difficult 2023 slate for Jones. Although the criminal charges were later dropped as part of an agreement with prosecutors, Jones started that season on IR due to a hamstring injury, and he fell out of favor with then-HC Bill Belichick halfway through the campaign (thanks in part to a missed curfew). He was subsequently waived and attracted interest from at least two teams on the waiver wire.

Las Vegas had the highest waiver priority among the Jones claimants, so the team was able to reunite the player with then-head coach Antonio Pierce, who also coached Jones in high school at Long Beach Poly High and then in college at Arizona State. Jones played well in a seven-game audition with the Raiders to close out the 2023 season, and he won a starting job last summer.

In his first season as a full-time starter (16 starts, 94% snap share), Jones struggled. In the estimation of Pro Football Focus, he finished as the 102nd-best corner out of 116 qualified players, and he yielded a 62.8% completion percentage and 98.5 QB rating as the nearest defender. Plus, with Pierce having received his walking papers this offseason, there were no personal ties that might have allowed Jones to stick around.

After the impending Jones departure, Jakorian Bennett, Decamerion Richardson, and free agent addition Eric Stokes comprise the top of the Raiders’ CB depth chart. Of course, the club could look to bolster that group in the draft.

Because Jones’ $3.4MM salary for 2025 is not guaranteed, his departure will result in the full amount of that salary being credited back to Las Vegas’ cap.

Michigan DT Mason Graham Adds Cleveland, Vegas Visits

April 6th, 2025 at 6:44pm CST by Ely Allen

The draft’s top-ranked defensive tackle by several analysts continues to make the rounds with the teams in the top 10 picks of the 2025 NFL Draft. Michigan’s Mason Graham is certainly a likely candidate to come off the board early; the big question is just where exactly he’ll go. After taking visits with the holders of the Nos. 4 & 9 picks, Graham has added Cleveland and Las Vegas to his planned visits, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Cleveland visit, which is taking place tomorrow, is likely just the Browns doing their due diligence. The Browns hold the No. 2 overall pick, and their choices have seemingly been needled down to Abdul Carter out of Penn State or Travis Hunter or Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado.

Miami’s Cam Ward is favored to come off the board at No. 1 overall to the Titans, leaving Carter, Hunter, and Sanders as possibilities for the Browns. With quarterback being viewed as a crucial need in Cleveland, Sanders has long been viewed as a strong possibility. Hunter has recently taken the odds as the betting favorite to land in Cleveland as a complimentary, impact weapon across from Jerry Jeudy on offense as a wide receiver.

The team just signed former Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to a record extension, but their defense did not house a strong pass rusher besides him in 2024. Currently Isaiah McGuire (2.5 sacks in 2024), Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (2.0), and Alex Wright (1.0) are set to lineup across from Garrett, so adding Carter would be huge.

The Browns also lost starting defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson to the Cardinals this offseason, so Graham could fit in as a new impact interior defender next to Shelby Harris. With Carter, Hunter, and Sanders all showing greater impact potential, though, it’s hard to see Graham heading to Ohio. If the Browns make a surprise decision to trade out of the No. 2 spot, though, Graham becomes an extremely viable option.

The Raiders, holders of the No. 6 overall draft pick, seem like a much more realistic possibility for Graham. Their visit will take place on Tuesday. Las Vegas saw an impressive 34 games missed from its expected top defensive line in 2024, and even if the line were fully healthy and it had a weak spot, it would be the second defensive tackle role. Graham would fit in beautifully next to Christian Wilkins between Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce.

The only thing that could suggest Graham doesn’t end up in Las Vegas is the fact that the Raiders have several other holes to address. Namely, running back, wide receiver, and secondary have been noted as areas that could use improvement.

Raiders To Extend QB Geno Smith

April 4th, 2025 at 11:10am CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 4: Smith’s 2025 compensation will jump from $31MM to $40MM, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. The 2026 season includes a $26.5MM base salary; $18.5MM of that figure is already locked in. The remainder will shift from an injury to a full guarantee of the third day of the ’26 league year.

None of Smith’s salary for 2027 ($39.5MM) is locked in, a sign of the short-term nature of this commitment. $3.5MM in annual incentives bring the maximum value of the pact to $116.5MM, but with an out after the 2026 season (and perhaps earlier) it is highly unlikely Smith will approach that figure.

APRIL 3: The Raiders have a deal done with Geno Smith. They are giving the trade acquisition a two-year extension, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. This will keep the ex-Seahawks starter under contract through 2027.

It appears initial reports, like when Smith signed his 2023 Seahawks contract, featured a slight inflation. Smith’s Raiders deal will be worth $75MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Earlier reports indicated the deal checked in at $85.5MM, though Schefter indicates that represents the pact’s max value. Smith’s new contract will come with $66.5MM guaranteed, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports.

This represents a bridge deal for both parties, though Smith’s age may well make this his final starter-level contract. Set to turn 35 in October, Smith had angled for a deal north of $40MM per year. That aim prompted the Seahawks to trade their three-year starter rather than agree to his price. The Raiders, after being prepared to give Matthew Stafford a big guarantee in a trade, pounced and reunited him with Pete Carroll.

This marks Carroll’s second time signing off on a Smith starter-level contract, as he was in place as the Seahawks’ top decision-maker when they gave him a three-year, $75MM deal in 2023. That turned out to bring good value for the Seahawks, who held Smith to the deal even as he pushed for a new one in 2024. Although Smith could not quite reach that $40MM-per-year point during his Raiders talks, the reclamation project did secure a significant raise.

At $37.5MM per year, Smith again will come in with a lower-middle-class contract on a skyrocketing QB market. When Smith signed his $25MM-AAV deal in March 2023, the league had not seen the $50MM-per-year club form. It has now, with 10 passers comprising it. Smith only moves up a few spots on the QB salary list, and it is certainly no coincidence his new AAV matches Derek Carr‘s Saints number.

Though, it is notable the Raiders were only comfortable matching that — as Carr secured those terms when the cap resided at barely $224MM. It is now at $279.2MM, inviting questions about the Raiders’ commitment level. The Raiders were ready to give Stafford a deal that included at least $90MM guaranteed. The Rams standing down and retaining their starter forced the Raiders and Giants to look elsewhere, and both teams approved cheaper contracts to address their QB voids.

Rather than dive into the free agent QB market and enter a draft chock full of maligned passing prospects, the Raiders traded a third-round pick for Smith. They are catching the former second-rounder going into his 13th NFL season, but these terms align with Carroll’s stopgap coaching contract. The Raiders gave Carroll a three-year deal, one aimed at bringing stability to an organization that has lacked it for many years. We now have a timeline on the latest Carroll-Smith partnership, as this contract buys the AFC West club some time to find a true long-term option.

It also should not be viewed as a random occurrence that Smith’s deal surpasses Sam Darnold‘s new Seattle AAV, which is $33.5MM. The Seahawks have been out of the franchise-QB payment game since trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos, and rather than reunite with Wilson, Carroll chose Smith and now has him tied to the NFL’s 16th-highest QB contract. This should give the Raiders some flexibility, though it will be interesting to learn what the guarantee at signing is.

The Raiders gave Carr two franchise-QB-level extensions, the first (in 2017) setting an NFL record and the second (in 2022) being a clear bridge deal while the Josh McDaniels-led regime evaluated the fit. As the fit proved poor, the Raiders soon lost their QB stability by cutting Carr. They have moved on from their past two Week 1 starters — Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew — via post-June 1 cuts. Smith will enter 2025 — barring a surprise first-round QB draft choice — on steadier ground compared to his two veteran predecessors in Vegas, though this contract length does invite questions beyond 2025.

New Raiders GM John Spytek said recently the Raiders want Smith as their starter for “years to come.” Smith may well have the inside track to be the Silver and Black’s starter in 2026 as well, but the Raiders figure to do more QB homework ahead of next year’s draft; as of now, that crop looks better than what the 2025 draft presents. Smith, however, will have a chance to keep his post-30 momentum going.

Although Smith bettered his Comeback Player of the Year completion rate (69.8, a number that led the league in 2022) by connecting on 70.4% of his throws last season, he threw 15 interceptions. Smith’s yards-per-attempt number (7.5) matched his 2022 breakthrough, but he was also working with a skill-position group better than what he inherits in Las Vegas. Brock Bowers delivered a historic tight end rookie season, but questions about for the Raiders at the other spots. How Spytek, Carroll and Tom Brady address the receiver position will play a key role in how their QB trade asset fares.

Prior to acquiring Carr, the Raiders carried an extensive history of late-career QB projects — from Carson Palmer to Rich Gannon to Jeff George to Jeff Hostetler to Jim Plunkett. While the Garoppolo swing and miss highlighted an overmatched regime, Carroll’s familiarity with Smith should help the Raiders pick up the pieces after a rough period.

Patriots Trading Joe Milton To Cowboys

April 3rd, 2025 at 10:19pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Patriots are trading quarterback Joe Milton to the Cowboys, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Dallas will send one of its fifth-round compensatory picks in April’s draft to New England in exchange for Milton and a seventh-rounder, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. The Patriots received the 171st overall pick and the Cowboys now have the 217th overall pick, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Milton was a sixth-round pick in 2024 who spent his rookie year as the Patriots’ QB3 behind No. 3 pick Drake Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett. The 6-foot-5, 246-pound Milton brings a rare set of physical tools, including an especially powerful arm. He impressed in his lone appearance last season, completing 22 of his 29 passes for 241 yards, one touchdown, and a 111.4 passer rating in Week 18 against the Bills.

That performance helped to generate some trade buzz surrounding Milton, which picked up after the Patriots signed Joshua Dobbs. Dobbs arrived in New England to take over Brissett’s role, keeping Milton third on the depth chart with little potential for playing time. Milton was not seen as “an ideal backup” for Maye, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. The team even told Dobbs that they were looking to trade Milton in order to build their quarterback room around Maye and prioritize his development, per Breer.

Milton also wanted out of New England, seeing himself as a future starter and knowing he would have a better chance at seeing the field elsewhere, both in the short- and long-term. The Patriots granted permission for Milton to seek a trade, per Schultz, and the Cowboys “showed the most interest from the start.” The two teams had been negotiating for a few weeks before talks accelerated at league meetings in Florida, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

A number of other teams expressed interest in trading for Milton, according to Schultz, including the Raiders, Eagles, Giants, and Steelers. The Patriots had at least one better offer on the table, but worked with Milton to send him to his preferred landing spot in Dallas.

“My family grew up a Cowboys fan,” said Milton (via Schultz). “My mom always had a Cowboys shirt on. She always talked about them. Living in Texas has been a longtime dream of mine. And now I’m with them. I’m ready to work.”

Milton will arrive in Dallas as the presumptive backup to Dak Prescott. The Cowboys explored an extension with 2024 backup Trey Lance after Prescott went down last season, per Archer, but the former No. 3 pick remains a free agent. Dallas also had interest in Brissett and Drew Lock in free agency, according to Archer.

Milton has three years and $3.2MM remaining on his contract, per OverTheCap, while Brissett’s shorter, two-year deal with the Cardinals is worth three times as much. With Prescott still commanding the highest salary in the NFL, the Cowboys opted to trade for a young, cost-controlled with developmental upside over the next three years.

Raiders Aiming For Long-Term QB Geno Smith Deal

March 31st, 2025 at 8:30am CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 31: More than three weeks after the Raiders’ Smith trade, the three-year Seahawks starter remains on his Seattle deal. But Carroll confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson) the team is “working on” an extension for its new QB1. Carroll was with Seattle when the team re-signed Smith in 2023, and while longtime Seahawks copilot John Schneider did not see eye-to-eye with the passer’s camp about value on a new contract, Carroll’s new team is all set to sign off on one.

MARCH 28: The Raiders have their quarterback of the present in the form of Geno Smith, and he will reunite with head coach Pete Carroll for the 2025 campaign. Smith’s time in Vegas could stretch well beyond the final year of his current deal, of course.

The Seahawks quickly realized a new accord would not be worked out this offseason, prompting the decision to trade Smith and turn their attention to Sam Darnold. One season remains on the current pact for the Raiders’ new QB1, and shortly after his arrival signs began pointing to an extension being worked out. One is not in place yet, although optimism remains that an agreement will be reached shortly.

When speaking about the Smith acquisition, new Raiders general manager John Spytek noted Carroll’s presence played a role in the move. That comes as no surprise, since the veteran head coach worked with Smith in Seattle from 2020-23. During that stretch, the two-time Pro Bowler had a pair of seasons atop the QB depth chart in the wake of the Russell Wilson trade and played his way into an extension averaging $25MM per season. A much higher asking price is in play this time around.

“The compensation from a draft-capital standpoint wasn’t so costly,” Spytek said during an appearance on the team’s Upon Further Review podcast. “I love my picks more than anybody… But, listen, we used a late third-round pick to hopefully have our starting quarterback here for years to come. And it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.

“When you’ve watched Geno through the years, he can throw the football with the best of any of them, honestly,” Spytek added. “I mean, you watch some of the throws he makes over and over again downfield, you know, short, intermediate. The touch is there, the arm strength is there.”

Smith, 34, has stated a desire to continue his career to the point of 20 NFL seasons. That goal could very well include a lengthy Raiders tenure if a new deal can be worked out soon, although the draft looms as a means of adding a long-term answer at the position. Vegas is set to select sixth overall next month, and the team has frequently been connected to Shedeur Sanders. A drop out of the first round – and more specifically the top 10 – is not expected in the Colorado product’s case, meaning the Raiders would need to be aggressive in pursuing him.

The remainder of the draft will of course offer Spytek and Co. other opportunities to acquire a young passer, something which makes the Smith extension situation an interesting one. If a long-term arrangement is indeed the team’s goal, it would come as no surprise if negotiations on that front picked up before the start of the draft.

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