The Raiders have had seven quarterbacks the past three seasons. Geno Smith, the team’s new starter, arguably is better than any of them.
The Raiders acquired Smith in a trade with the Seahawks in March, providing the team some stability they haven’t had at the position since Derek Carr left after the 2022 season.
“He’s great. Geno is literally like a second coach,” offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said, via Ryan McFadden of ESPN. “When you’re in that room with him and [quarterbacks coach] Greg Olson, there [are] a lot of ideas going around.
“His football acumen is really off the charts, and it’s impressive to be around him.”
Smith calls Kelly in the evening after practice to discuss the day’s work, and Kelly picks Smith’s brain about how Smith’s former offensive coordinators, Shane Waldron and Ryan Grubb, might handle certain situations or call plays.
Smith has seen a lot in his career. He went from getting drafted by the Jets in the second round in 2013 to stints as a backup with the Giants, Chargers and Seahawks before finally getting a second chance when Seattle traded Russell Wilson to the Broncos in 2022.
He completed 68.5 percent of his pass attempts for 12,961 yards, 76 touchdowns and 36 interceptions in 54 games in Seattle.
“There’s not a lot of guys that have shown that resiliency,” Kelly said. “He can be so relatable to everybody, because he’s kind of lived that life. He’s been a high draft pick, [but] he’s also been a guy that has been told that a team doesn’t want him.
“The fact that he’s done it and come out to be the way he is now is a testament to him. He’s special.”
