The Las Vegas Raiders sent a clear message to the NFL during the College Football National Championship when they sent Tom Brady, the rest of the ownership group and general manager John Spytek to the game. They are at least seriously considering drafting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It’s not a surprise that the Raiders likely don’t want Geno Smith back, but it’s still going to be a tough pill to swallow. Amid the quarterback rumors, Smith decided to post a cryptic message on his Instagram.
“I’m like a (dog emoji) I never speak but I understand,” Smith wrote in the caption.
He included a slideshow of several pictures, which notably didn’t include any pictures of his time with the Raiders. It’s possible that this caption doesn’t have anything to do with anything, but it does slightly seem like he’s potentially commenting on the fact that Las Vegas is likely to replace him.
Smith is going to have an interesting offseason. He was considered a very good quarterback just two years ago, but his stock took a nosedive after a terrible 2025 season with the Raiders. There should be at least a few teams willing to give him a chance based on what he did with the Seattle Seahawks.
Should Raiders Keep Smith Around?
Smith is still under contract with the Raiders for two more years. If they cut him, they get saddled with an $18.5 million dead cap hit. That’s not a huge commitment, but it does leave room to speculate about whether or not the Raiders could keep him.
If Las Vegas takes Mendoza at No. 1, he is likely to be the starter in Week 1. Smith has a long track record of being a good backup quarterback. He doesn’t seem like the type who will throw a fit if the Raiders keep him as a backup.
There’s also the fact that if the team keeps him, he could be potential trade bait later in the year. It’s easy to understand why the Raiders might want to just cut ties, but there could be some value in keeping him.
Smith Could Be Fit With Jets
Smith still has a chance to be a starter for an NFL team next season. There are plenty of teams with lackluster starting quarterbacks that don’t have the No. 1 pick in the draft.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler floated the New York Jets as a possible landing spot for Smith.
“Smith’s contract is more manageable, with $18.5 million already guaranteed for 2026 (another $8 million becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the new league year),” Fowler wrote. “The 35-year-old spent his first four seasons with the Jets, throwing 28 touchdowns and 36 interceptions before moving on.
“The Jets will need to make significant plans for a veteran passer regardless.”
The Jets wouldn’t be the only team interested in Smith. He could make some sense with the Indianapolis Colts. The Arizona Cardinals are another team that needs a quarterback. It’s easy to see a team trading a late-round pick to the Raiders to get a bridge quarterback.
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