The Las Vegas Raiders passed on Shedeur Sanders multiple times, and NFL execs believe that Geno Smith is the reason
The Las Vegas Raiders addressed the quarterback position during free agency. John Spytek and Pete Carroll decided to trade for veteran quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks. Smith brings stability to the position that has been missing since Derek Carr’s departure to the New Orleans Saints.
Even with the trade, there was speculation that the Raiders could draft a quarterback high in the draft. A connection to Shedeur Sanders through minority owner Tom Brady made the Raiders a target for the Colorado quarterback. When the draft was over, the Raiders passed on Sanders seven times before he was selected by the Cleveland Browns.
Mike Sando of The Athletic told NFL executives about the 2025 NFL draft’s top stories. Of course, Sanders’s falling to the fifth round is one of the biggest dramas coming out of the process. One of the executives gave his thoughts on why the Raiders passed on the polarizing prospect.
“My guess is that (head coach Pete Carroll) doesn’t want to do Geno (Smith) the way Atlanta did (Kirk) Cousins,” the exec told The Athletic NFL insider Mike Sando. “Atlanta was able to do that to Cousins because they didn’t have a previous relationship.
“For Pete, let’s face it: How long will he coach that team? Does he want to start his last chance by alienating the quarterback he just got?”
It is valid to suggest that the Raiders wanted to protect the relationship with Smith, but the Seahawks had plans to draft Anthony Richardson in 2023. If there was a quarterback prospect that was intriguing to the front office, they would have pulled the trigger. Smith had a relationship with Sanders as well and might have embraced the role of a mentor to the young quarterback.
It doesn’t matter as the Raiders move on and Sanders fights for the starting position with the Browns.
In other Raidres links:
- Raiders’ 1st-round draft pick gets familiar uniform number: Ashton Jeanty got his ideal choice for his jersey number when the team announced the numbers for the rookie class.
- Las Vegas Raiders post-draft depth chart: Matt Holder deep dives into the Raiders’ new depth chart and which players could be on the hot seat.
- Ashton Jeanty reveals he also received an NFL draft prank call. Jeanty was part of the prank calling that went on during draft night, which cost the Atlanta Falcons fines from the NFL.