The Las Vegas Raiders are heading into the 2025 season with a new franchise quarterback in two-time Pro Bowler Geno Smith — but according to reports, he wasn’t their first choice.
Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Raiders aggressively pursued Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford earlier this offseason. Breer reported that both Las Vegas and the New York Giants were not only interested in trading for the 37-year-old signal-caller but were also prepared to offer him a contract extension worth over $50 million per season.
Las Vegas Raiders Outbid Rams For Stafford
“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,” Breer wrote.
Ultimately, Stafford remained with the Rams after agreeing to a revised deal that includes $80 million over the next two years. That contract features a $16 million base salary each season, four $6 million option bonuses to maintain cap flexibility, and a fully guaranteed 2025 salary. According to Breer, $4 million had already been paid via a March roster bonus, completing the restructure initiated last offseason.
With Stafford officially off the table, Las Vegas quickly pivoted — acquiring Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a third-round pick (No. 92 overall), which Seattle used to draft Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. Smith, 34, was then signed to a two-year, $75 million extension — significantly less than what the Raiders were willing to pay Stafford.
It’s worth wondering how different the Raiders’ offseason might have looked had they successfully pulled off the Stafford trade. Any deal likely would’ve cost more than just a Day 2 draft pick and carried a steeper financial burden north of $50 million annually.
Still, landing Smith at a more manageable cap number and retaining valuable draft capital could prove to be the more sustainable path forward — especially for a franchise looking to end a three-year playoff drought.