Some members of the NFL neighborhood beforehand steered that Las Vegas Raiders minority proprietor Tom Brady did not wish to commit actual cash to quarterback Geno Smith past the 2025 marketing campaign after the membership acquired Smith from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this offseason.
Nonetheless, such takes seemed at the very least a little bit foolish after it was reported forward of this previous weekend that Smith can be signing a two-year contract extension.
Throughout a current chat with league insider Albert Breer of Sports activities Illustrated, Smith shared a message he acquired from Brady concerning the 34-year-old’s cope with the Raiders.
“What I used to be speaking to Tom about, that is one thing he stated, and that is true,” Smith recalled. “‘We don’t wish to rejoice contracts. We wish to rejoice wins.’ And the factor is, that simply form of set the tone for the crew. ‘That is our quarterback. That is the route we’re headed.’ And there’s no grey space there. The whole lot’s set in stone. And when you’ve that, when you may set an actual plan, then you may get issues going.”
Breer previously famous that these operating the Seahawks “felt like they have been doing Smith a favor with the commerce” as a result of “Vegas had a greater shot at doing a contract with him than Seattle did.” Smith instructed Breer he is “very grateful, very grateful” and “very appreciative” to have put pen to paper on the extension, however reporters have been quick to point out that Las Vegas might nonetheless spend the sixth general decide of the 2025 NFL Draft on a quarterback resembling Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders after which transfer on from Smith as quickly as subsequent offseason.
Sanders already has a relationship with Brady, and a number of reporters stated as not too long ago as Monday morning that each the Cleveland Browns (decide No. 2) and New York Giants (No. 3) will cross on the polarizing prospect.
Professional Soccer Discuss’s Mike Florio reported on April 4 that Smith “needed to reunite with” new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, Smith’s coach from 2019-23 once they have been with Seattle. It additionally appears like Smith has discovered considerably of a mentor in Brady.
“I’ve all the time actually been exhausting on myself about having the ability to play the sport with out utilizing all of the bodily attributes,” Smith stated whereas discussing conversations he had with Brady earlier than the signing of the extension. “And from watching my tape, that’s one thing that [Brady] seen, how I deal with protections and might get out and in of performs. We ran a really intricate system [last year]. It was our first yr within the system, however we didn’t maintain again on something. And I feel that’s one thing that he acknowledged, he seen. …Stuff from the neck up, choice making, management, simply all these issues are the issues that Tom talked to me about explanation why they needed me.”
It is now no secret that Brady is already extra concerned with the Raiders’ soccer operations than some thought he’d be final yr. Brady’s phrases point out he is excessive on Smith, however one wonders if the longer term Corridor of Famer will however push for the Raiders to take a quarterback throughout the draft’s first spherical on April 24.
