PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek didn't provide any detail on a potential contract extension for quarterback Geno Smith but is confident a deal will get done "fairly soon."
"We really look forward to having him not just this year, but for the years to come," Spytek said Monday morning at the annual league meeting.
Spytek's comments came after coach Pete Carroll said the team was working on a new deal for Smith, who was traded from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. He has one year and $31 million left on a three-year, $75 million contract that he signed in March 2023.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider told reporters after the trade became official at the start of the new league year that the team dealt Smith after first trying to extend him. A source told ESPN's Brady Henderson that Seattle offered Smith a two-year extension that would have paid him $40 million in 2025. "It became apparent that we weren't going to be able to get a deal done," Schneider said.
Spytek mentioned the deal to acquire Smith happened pretty quickly due to Carroll's previous knowledge of him. In Seattle, Smith played in 37 games under Carroll and threw for 8,641 passing yards, 55 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
Carroll said Smith was a prominent name in my mind when the team explored a number of options at quarterback because he knew exactly what to expect from the veteran signal caller.
Carroll added that he has an in-depth relationship with Smith and the two had been in contact with each other throughout the 2024 season, while the 74-year-old stepped away from coaching.
"When it came time to get to it, it was automatic that we would take a shot at [Smith]," Carroll said. "Fortunately, Seattle was willing to listen, and John Spytek [made] his first big time deal. We pulled it off exactly in the manner that we wanted to. [Smith] gives us a great kick start to what's going on."
Even though Smith will turn 35 in October, Carroll expects to get a number of years out of the two-time Pro Bowler. Smith started in 29 games during the first two seasons of his career but transitioned to a backup quarterback from 2015 to 2021. During that span, Smith played in only 15 games and made five starting appearances.
"The guy sat for almost six years, and didn't get the wear and tear," Carroll said. "So that's why he moves so well."
Carroll called Smith an "immediate fix" at quarterback after the franchise watched six players start at the position after moving on from Derek Carr following the 2022 season. However, he didn't rule out the possibility of taking a quarterback at some point in the draft.
Carroll mentioned the team will get creative in the draft and explore all options in improving the team. "Every single opportunity we have, we're going to investigate," Carroll said.
Spytek shared similar remarks and said the team will continue to deeply evaluate this year's quarterback class. But the addition of Smith has been a sigh of relief for the organization.
"We could take one anywhere, but I feel like we got a guy that can go play football right now," said Spytek. "So, the need and anxiety at that position is not as high as it was a month ago."