The Las Vegas Raiders entered the offseason with two glaring weaknesses in their offensive backfield. Last year, they chose to forego signing a veteran quarterback in free agency and gambled on selecting a first-round prospect with No. 13 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Instead, six quarterbacks were selected before their selection, and they were left empty-handed.
They entered the season with an uninspiring quarterback room that was led by veteran journeyman Gardner Minshew and second-year backup Aidan O’Connell. Along with the worst rushing attack, the Raiders were doomed before the season even began.
Las Vegas isn’t gambling with the quarterback position again this year. Despite a vast number of quarterbacks set to hit free agency, the Raiders were reportedly only willing to make a large financial commitment for Matthew Stafford. That plan fell apart when the 37-year-old signed an extension with the Los Angeles Rams, and the Raiders pivoted to find a different trade partner.
Las Vegas acquired Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith in exchange for a third-round pick on Friday. The deal reunites Smith with Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, who helped resurrect the veteran quarterback’s career in Seattle.
Geno Smith trade opens the door for Raiders to pick Ashton Jeanty
Perhaps more importantly, Smith’s acquisition allows Las Vegas to select the best available prospect with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That prospect could prove to be Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“Ashton Jeanty makes so much sense, now, for the Raiders,” Bonsignore posted on social media.
Although Bonsignore may just be speculating, he has proven to be a reliable source with an understanding of the Raiders’ thinking. The reasoning also makes sense, as Las Vegas seems like an ideal landing spot for the running back.
In 2022, former Raiders running back Josh Jacobs led the league with 1,653 rushing yards. The team wasn’t able to find a suitable replacement after Jacobs left the team in free agency last offseason, and the Raiders generated a league-worst 1,357 rushing yards in 2024. That rushing output played a significant factor in their subpar offense, which finished as the fourth-worst scoring unit in the league.
Jeanty is considered to be one of the most talented running back prospects in years, and he could go a long way in fixing the Raiders’ offensive deficiencies.
Carroll’s teams have often relied heavily on the running game, and a strong presence on the ground could help alleviate some pressure on Smith to produce solely through the passing game. Las Vegas will have to bolster their offensive line to support Jeanty, but they’ve already started that process by signing former Cincinnati Bengals offensive guard Alex Cappa to a two-year deal.