Las Vegas Raiders plan to release QB Geno Smith

Not that there was ever any question that Geno Smith and the Raiders were headed to an inevitable divorce after the nightmare season they endured last year.

But just in case, the club’s general manager, John Spytek, essentially confirmed they were on the outs last week at the NFL scouting combine by revealing he and Smith have not kept in touch this offseason.

“I have not talked to Geno since the season’s ended,” Spytek said.

Yeah, Smith’s days in Las Vegas have been over for months now.

Barring the long-shot scenario of a team actually agreeing to trade for the veteran quarterback, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation said the Raiders will release Smith before the start of the league’s new year next Wednesday.

Thus ends a tumultuous their one-and-done season, which began with incredible promise only to blow up in everyone’s face.

Smith’s failed reunion with Pete Carroll resulted in the Raiders finishing tied for the worst record in the NFL, Carroll being fired after just one year in the desert, and Smith following him out the door.

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The only good news? The Raiders ended up with the first pick in next month’s draft, which they will almost assuredly spend on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Together with new coach Klint Kubiak, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will usher in a new era for the Raiders as they undergo a complete reset.

Keeping Smith on as the bridge for Mendoza was never an option, not after he cratered to a league-high 17 interceptions and 55 sacks last year, had multiple run-ins with fans, and his chief supporter, Carroll, got fired.

It was Carroll who convinced the Raiders to trade for Smith, who he coached for four years in Seattle. The Raiders sent a third-round pick to Seattle last offseason to acquire Smith, then awarded him with a two-year, $75,000,000 contract extension $66.5 million guaranteed.

The hope was that Smith and Carroll could raise the Raiders’ floor, and that Smith could steady the quarterback position while the club searched for a long-term answer.

That clearly did not happen, although in an ironic twist, Smith’s terrible season essentially guided them right to Mendoza, who they are counting on to be the franchise quarterback they have spent decades trying to land.

Releasing Smith will cost the Raiders $18.5 million in cash and salary cap space, but they will also save $8 million.

Smith will likely have a market after the release becomes official, as he will be eligible to sign for the league minimum with the Raiders picking up the remaining portion of his 2026 salary. The Vikings could be an option, depending on what happens in their pursuit of Kyler Murray or Kirk Cousins.

It is highly unlikely anyone steps up with a trade offer, since any team that trades for him would assume his entire $26.5 million salary.

As for the Raiders, they wanted to clear the deck to make Mendoza’s arrival as clean as possible. Moving on from Smith and whatever distraction he would have represented achieves that.

As of today, the only quarterback on the roster is Aidan O’Connell. However, the Raiders want to add a veteran quarterback as a mentor and potential bridge for Mendoza.

As Spytek pointed out last week at the combine, the club won’t force Mendoza into a starting role if he isn’t ready or they aren’t in a position to fully support him.

 “I think you want to limit the amount of pressure you have on that guy from the start,” Spytek said. “Now, if you have a young quarterback, I’m not necessarily in favor of running him out there right away, either, so [you want] another quality player that can play the quarterback position.”