Geno Smith trade: NFL insider reveals leading contender for Seattle Seahawks QB job

The Seattle Seahawks made one of the more surprising moves of the offseason on Friday night, when they decided to trade quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick. Seattle had recent contract discussions with Smith and in the end, decided to move him to Las Vegas in a reunion with Pete Carroll. Seattle is now looking for another quarterback and according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the franchise is now exploring veteran signal-caller options, with Sam Darnold being viewed as a leading contender on that list.

More information on the Geno Smith trade

The Seattle Seahawks are trading quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, NFL Network reported. In exchange, the Raiders are sending a third-round pick in return.

Contract talks took place between Smith and the Seahawks, but nothing came to fruition. That led to the decision to move on, sending him to Las Vegas in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The move comes just three days before the NFL’s free agency negotiation period begins on Monday. Las Vegas was seen as a potential destination for Sam Darnold if he left the Vikings and reports now indicate Seattle is expected to heavily pursue him.

The Seattle Seahawks are targeting Sam Darnold

During the 2024 season, Darnold threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 66.2% passing. He led the Vikings to a 14-3 regular season record before Minnesota lost in the NFC Wild Card round. The other option for the Vikings at quarterback is of course, rookie signal-caller JJ McCarthy.

For McCarthy, the last time fans were able to see him on the field in a real game was when he was leading Michigan to a College Football Playoff National Championship victory over Washington. He was one of the winningest quarterbacks in college during his time in Ann Arbor, but wouldn’t get to showcase his abilities for very long before going down with a tear in his meniscus in his right knee during the team’s first preseason game.

He underwent a second surgery in November to address swelling in the knee that developed after an increase in activity during the rehabilitation process. Now, all signs point toward McCarthy being back on track to return for the 2025 season.

The Vikings signed Darnold in free agency before McCarthy was drafted by Minnesota last offseason. Joining the franchise on a one-year, $10 million deal before he became a full-time starter for the Vikings in the regular season.

On3’s Barkley Truax and Nick Schultz also contributed to this article.