2. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
There is no question that the Las Vegas Raiders have one of the most upgraded quarterback situations in the NFL this year. Going from Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell to Geno Smith is going to be a night and day difference, even if it’s not a long-term fix.
I still believe Geno is teetering on the cusp of being overrated. There are so many people out there in the NFL media world who seem to think Smith is in the upper echelon of quarterbacks, but that’s simply not the case. He’s a solid starter who offers a high floor and a low ceiling. The Raiders needed him badly, and he’ll be a nice upgrade for them. But the AFC West is loaded at QB.
1. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
The guy the Seahawks decided to move on from Geno Smith for is former first-round pick Sam Darnold, who has been given his “journeyman” badge but has upgraded it from just “journeyman” to “highly-paid journeyman”. Darnold was outstanding last year for the Minnesota Vikings as a full-time starter, but how is he going to be with no more Kevin O’Connell, no more Justin Jefferson, no more Jordan Addison, etc.?
There’s inherent risk in changing quarterbacks in the NFL regardless of what way you decide to pivot, but the Seahawks are going all-in with Darnold and Klint Kubiak to run their offense, and they had better hope they’re right, or they’ll be the laughing stock of the league.