Andrew Buller-Russ
The Las Vegas Raiders have missed the playoffs for each of the past three seasons, but this time, they’re starting with a new franchise quarterback, two-time Pro Bowler Geno Smith. Yet, from the sound of it, trading for the former Seattle Seahawks QB wasn’t the Raiders’ first choice.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Raiders, along with the New York Giants, attempted to trade for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Not only that, the Raiders were prepared to sign the 37-year-old QB to an extension worth over $50 million per season.
“The New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders were willing to go a lot further, into the area where the average on a new contract would start with a five.
SI’s Albert Breer on Las Vegas Raiders’ pursuit of Matthew Stafford
The Rams, in the end, gave him $80 million over the next two years, with $4 million already paid out in a March roster bonus that was, essentially, the last piece to the raise he got last year from the team before training camp. He has four $6 million option bonuses totaling $24 million (which allow the team flexibility cap-wise), and a $16 million base for this year, and an identical setup for next year. His 2025 money is fully guaranteed at signing. His ’26 money becomes fully guaranteed next March on the fifth day of the league year.”
Once it became clear that the Rams worked out a contract adjustment with Stafford that would keep him in Los Angeles, the Raiders had to pivot to other ideas, leading them directly to trading a third-round pick for Smith. That selection (No. 92) later became Jalen Milroe, giving the Seahawks a developmental quarterback who offers dual-threat mobility.
They later signed Smith to a two-year extension worth a total of $75 million, saving them a considerable amount of money when compared to the offer they were prepared to make to Stafford.
Would the Raiders have been better off with Stafford? Not only would they have been paying him over $10 million more per season, they likely would have had to fork over more draft capital than just a third-round pick too. Yet, clearly this was an avenue Las Vegas was willing to pursue, though we may never know just how much they were willing to give up via trade.
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