The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t say it out loud—but their actions already have.
By holding the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and positioning themselves to select quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders have quietly made Geno Smith expendable.
What was once framed as a veteran bridge has turned into an awkward standoff, and the offseason hasn’t even officially begun.
Smith’s arrival in Las Vegas was supposed to bring stability. Instead, it delivered uncertainty. The trade that brought him in last summer failed to provide momentum, and now the Raiders appear ready to move on—financially and philosophically.
According to cap projections, Las Vegas could free up $8 million by releasing Smith, while absorbing a manageable $18.5 million dead-money hit. But releasing him isn’t the ideal outcome. Trading him is.
That’s the message being sent behind the scenes.
A trade would remove Smith’s $26.5 million base salary from the books entirely, smoothing the path for a full reset. The problem? Finding a team willing to take that contract—and the baggage that comes with it.
Still, desperation creates opportunity. And there are teams around the league quietly looking for a quarterback who can survive chaos, start games, and buy time.
Cleveland is one of them.
The Browns are entering a transitional phase, potentially with a new head coach and an uncertain quarterback room. Whether they promote Jim Schwartz or bring in Nate Scheelhaase, the next staff may want a veteran presence to compete with Shedeur Sanders in camp.
DeShaun Watson’s future remains unclear, and Geno Smith fits the profile of a short-term stabilizer—even if no one wants to admit it publicly.
Then there’s New York.
Smith’s history with the Jets is complicated, bordering on painful. Drafted in 2013, he was written off early and watched his career nearly collapse before resurrecting it in Seattle.
A return to New York wouldn’t be about redemption—it would be about necessity. After missing out on the Mendoza sweepstakes, the Jets could be forced to explore veteran options they once discarded.
Water under the bridge doesn’t mean forgotten.
The final wrinkle is perception. Geno Smith isn’t playing poorly enough to be ignored, nor well enough to be untouchable. He exists in that uncomfortable middle ground—expensive, experienced, and inconvenient.
And that’s what makes this moment feel final.
The Raiders aren’t shopping Smith aggressively yet, but they don’t have to. The league understands what the No. 1 pick represents. Mendoza is the future. Everything else is transitional.
For Smith, that reality is unavoidable. Whether it’s Cleveland, New York, or another team that emerges late, his next stop will come with lowered expectations and shortened patience. He won’t be asked to be the answer—just to hold things together.
In Las Vegas, the decision has already been made.
The only question left is who blinks first—the Raiders, or a team that realizes too late that they still need a quarterback who can take the first snap of the season.
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