Not that there was ever any question thatGeno Smith and the Raiderswere headed to an inevitable divorce after the nightmare season they endured last year.
But just in case, the club’s general manager, John Spytek, essentially confirmed they were on the outs last week at theNFL scouting combineby revealing he and Smith have not kept in touch this offseason.
“I havenot talked to Genosince the season’s ended,” Spytek said.
Yeah, Smith’s days in Las Vegas have been over for months now.
Barring the long-shot scenario of a team actually agreeing to trade for the veteran quarterback, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation said theRaiders will release Smithbefore the start of the league’s new year next Wednesday.
Thus ends a tumultuous their one-and-done season, which began with incredible promise only to blow up in everyone’s face.
Smith’s failed reunion with Pete Carroll resulted in the Raiders finishing tied for the worst record in the NFL, Carroll being fired after just one year in the desert, and Smith following him out the door.
The only good news? The Raiders ended up with the first pick in next month’s draft, which they will almost assuredly spend on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Together with new coach Klint Kubiak, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will usher in a new era for the Raiders as they undergo a complete reset.
Keeping Smith on as the bridge for Mendoza was never an option, not after he cratered to a league-high 17 interceptions and 55 sacks last year, had multiple run-ins with fans, and his chief supporter, Carroll, got fired.
It was Carroll who convinced the Raiders to trade for Smith, who he coached for four years in Seattle. The Raiders sent a third-round pick to Seattle last offseason to acquire Smith, then awarded him with a two-year, $75,000,000 contract extension $66.5 million guaranteed.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
