The Las Vegas Raiders have a couple of franchise cornerstones, but the unquestioned leader of this team is Maxx Crosby. The star defensive end is the face of the franchise and sets the tone for everyone. Crosby badly wants to compete and play on the biggest stages with the Raiders, but there was no way the team would do that without addressing the quarterback position, which they did this offseason by trading for Geno Smith.
Smith had resurrected his career with the Seattle Seahawks under then-head coach Pete Carroll, who, of course, is now leading the Raiders, so the move reunites the two. But some believe the Raiders still should have leaned more on the NFL Draft, with Colorado star QB Shedeur Sanders being linked to the team for many months prior. Crosby, however, is fine with the route the Raiders took.
In the latest episode of his podcast, The Rush, Crosby noted that while Smith is 34 years old, quarterbacks age differently, and he likes what the Raiders did in the draft, via Austin C. Boyd of Athlon Sports:
“I mean, he’s 34, but quarterbacks … their age is different,” Crosby said on “The Rush.” “He’s probably going to be here for a while. Bringing Pete (Carroll) in, and (John) Spytek, and (Tom) Brady all in, they have a specific idea of what they want. … I like how we drafted. We got some dogs.”
Crosby is right in that many quarterbacks are now playing late into their 30s and even early 40s, but Smith is also aided by the fact that he started just five games over seven years, so his body hasn’t taken nearly the beating that most other QBs have at his age.
It is very plausible that Smith could continue to play at a high level for many more years, thus leaving Sanders, or any other QB the team hypothetically drafted, in waiting for far too long. It is certainly possible that the Raiders could regret passing on Sanders, but the team is looking to compete immediately and believes Smith is the best option to achieve that goal.
The Raiders did select a QB late in the draft, with FCS prospect Cam Miller being taken in the sixth round, so there is one developmental project in the QB room. But Crosby and the Raiders are looking to make a leap into playoff contention and have full belief in Smith to lead this offense.
PFF ranks Raiders’ Geno Smith as 10th-best QB heading into 2025 season
Geno Smith may not be thought of as the most elite of quarterbacks, but he has undoubtedly been one of the best in the league over the past two seasons, and PFF ranked him 10th overall going into the 2025 NFL season.
PFF noted that Smith should enjoy more protection behind the Raiders’ offensive line. However, the receiving options still need to be improved upon, as Brock Bowers is far and away the team’s best pass catcher.
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