The Las Vegas Raiders did everything they could to land Matthew Stafford if the Los Angeles Rams decided to part ways with the veteran QB. Ultimately, both sides amended any issues, and the 37-year-old opted to stay in Los Angeles.
The Raiders moved swiftly after this and traded a 3rd-round pick to acquire another veteran quarterback, Geno Smith.
Smith spent a season in Seattle with now-Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, so there was obvious chemistry and a desire to reunite.
Since reviving his career with the Seahawks, Smith has been viewed as a very solid QB, but not one that is necessarily a game-changer.
However, PFF just released its preseason QB rankings, and they ranked Geno Smith remarkably high.
PFF Ranks Raiders QB Geno Smith 10th-Best Quarterback
PFF’s John Kosko just released his full quarterback rankings, and he put the Raiders’ signal caller 10th among all 32 NFL QBs, just below Jared Goff, and just above Brock Purdy.
He writes:
“Few would have pegged Smith to grade as the sixth-best passer in the NFL over the past two seasons, but here we are. In fact, his 85.8 passing grade in that span is just 0.2 points shy of Patrick Mahomes. After being traded for a third-round pick this offseason, Smith should enjoy an improved offensive line but a downgrade in receiving weapons. He protects the football and has a knack for generating big-time throws.”
Here is Kosko’s complete Top 10 list:
- Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
- Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
- Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
- Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
- Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
- Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
- Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
- Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
- Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
- Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
Smith’s grade of 85.8 was substantially higher than what Stafford finished with last season (74.7). When the Raiders traded for him, it was widely seen as a good move, but not one that necessarily moved the needle a ton.
Now, PFF is not the end-all be-all, by any means, but getting the nod in the Top 10 is certainly a good look for the Raiders, and his veteran leadership will bode well for such a young team in transition.
The Raiders may be in the midst of a minor rebuild, but they have the ability to surprise a lot of teams this season, and Geno Smith will be a major reason why.