Raiders quarterback Geno Smith suffered a quad contusion in Thursday night’s loss to the Broncos, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Smith was injured on a first-down scramble in the fourth quarter. Backup Kenny Pickett came in for two plays, but Smith emerged from the blue medical tent for the Raiders’ next offensive series. The injury is unlikely to keep the veteran quarterback out for long; the Raiders’ mini-bye before Week 11 could give him enough time to heal up.
However, Smith is having his worst season since taking over as the Seahawks’ starting quarterback in 2022. He has thrown only 11 touchdowns and a league-high 12 interceptions for a 81.4 passer rating, the fourth-lowest in the NFL. The Raiders offense as a whole ranks 30th in points and total offense.
Smith has struggled enough to raise questions abut the Raiders’ short- and long-term future at quarterback. Pickett seems unlikely to be an improvement, but 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell has looked, at a minimum, competent in 17 starts across his first two seasons. He is 7-10 as a starter with an 85.1 career passer rating; he’s also under contract in 2026. He could take over for Smith this season and potential be a bridge quarterback next year if the Raiders do not acquire a new option this offseason.
Smith, meanwhile, signed a two-year, $75MM extension after he was traded to Las Vegas earlier this year. Currently, $18.5MM of his 2026 salary is fully guaranteed, and a guarantee on the remaining $8MM vests early in the 2026 league year, per OverTheCap. That gives the Raiders a brief window in March to move on from the 12-year veteran with only $18.5MM in dead money (as Smith did not receiving a signing bonus with his new deal). Las Vegas would have paid Smith $58.5MM for one season – minus any salary offsets if he signs elsewhere – but they would then be able to reset on the false start to the Pete Carroll era.
Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly have fallen behind the times.
I think this team’s biggest problem isn’t coaching, but a misguided approach to team building. They took one of the worst teams in football with a whole bunch of serious roster problems in a division with three playoff teams and decided to add an almost 74-year old coach, an almost 35-year old quarterback, and a running back with the sixth overall pick. Those are moves you make when you think you can compete soon, which was not realistic at all.
Brock bowers only getting 3 targets 4 days after he had 10 catches and 3TD’s is coaching malpractice.
This also speaks to roster stuff though. If the quarterback were better protected, it would be easier to get the ball to Bowers. If there were any receivers for the defense to worry about, it would be easier to get the ball to Bowers.
Could you imagine playing an NFL game 4 days after you played your last game? I get both teams have to but not everyone responds the same. It’s a brutal sport and to have these guys go play another game on only 3 full days of rest is malpractice. I love the idea of TNF but it just doesn’t make sense.
An article about a bruise? lol
Raise your hand if you want another article about Brady’s ownership/broadcasting tribulations…hey! where did you go?
So glad the Hawks traded Geno. He was terrible.
O line is terrible. They should’ve addressed it in the off season.
Jeanty needs to ride the line. He was a disaster Thursday with lack of effort when the ball wasn’t in his hands or deflecting off of them.