Getty

(Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)

Former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith is looking for a bounce-back 2026 NFL season after a disastrous 2025 campaign with the Silver and Black. After one season, the Raiders ended up trading Smith this offseason to the New York Jets.

Last season with the Raiders, Smith finished with a 60.9 overall PFF grade, ranking 36th out of 43 qualified quarterbacks, and posted a 58.2 passing grade, also 36th at the position.

Across 524 dropbacks, he threw for 3,025 yards with 19 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He added 14 big-time throws but was also charged with 23 turnover-worthy plays.

Nonetheless, Smith is looking to prove that his performance with the Raiders had to do more with the dysfunction surrounding the team than with him. Furthermore, ESPN NFL analyst Damien Woody believes that the veteran QB can bounce back and potentially be a Comeback Player of the Year candidate.

“[Smith] could [win his second Comeback Player of the Year award],” Woody said during an April 27 appearance on UNSPORTSMANLIKE. “Think about what Geno Smith was playing with with the Raiders. Probably the worst offensive line. He had no wide receivers. Brock Bowers was hurt half the season last year.

“So now you look at what he has to work with here with Garrett Wilson, Omar Cooper Jr., Adonai Mitchell, Breece Hall, [Kenyon] Sadiq, the tight end out of Oregon, and a really good offensive line. Things could really pop off with Geno Smith in 2026.“

Geno Smith Could Stay in New York Longer Than Expected

The Jets added another quarterback to the room by taking Cade Klubnik in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Still, head coach Aaron Glenn said he could envision the 35-year-old Smith staying with the team beyond this season.

“We brought in Geno to be our starter, and I’m not going to put a cap on him on how many years he can play, so I don’t even go into the fact of he’s here for a year [under contract],” Glenn said on April 25 (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “As long as he’s producing and as long as he’s the best guy, he’s going to continue to play.“

Raiders Now Have Their Franchise QB After Geno Smith Exit

As for the Silver and Black, they have their franchise QB in Fernando Mendoza, selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After the announcement, Raiders general manager John Spytek spoke with team columnist Paul Gutierrez about why it made sense to pick Mendoza.

“We had a great process, and we promised ourselves, the ownership group, and the fans that we would do this the right way,” Spytek said on April 23 after the Raiders made the pick. “And we did not begin with the end in mind. This was not a coronation, but every step of the way, he kept checking boxes. I saw him three times in person — once in the fall and at the playoff games — and he played really well in all those games.

“We had a chance to visit with him at the combine, went to Bloomington to see his pro day, spent time with him, went to dinner with him, and then brought him here to Las Vegas and had a great day with him here, too. He just kept checking boxes along the way, and, you know, he made it pretty easy for us to realize that this is the right guy at the right time for the Raiders.”