The Las Vegas Raiders will have Geno Smith under contract for next season. However, the question is whether the veteran QB will actually be on the team in 2026 or whether the Silver and Black will cut ties with him this offseason.
If Smith is one-and-done with the Raiders, the question is: Where will he go next? Well, WFAN’s Tommy Lugauer floats the idea of the New York Jets bringing back Smith as a stopgap QB, as they look to possibly take a shot at Texas Longhorns signal-caller Arch Manning in the 2027 NFL Draft.
“The next quarterback for the Jets is going to be Geno Smith,” Lugauer said in a video posted by WFAN on Jan. 27. “Now, it’s a short‑term answer, and it’s obviously a [reunion] with Geno and the Jets. But after my advanced search and thinking of it differently and viewing it differently, the next quarterback of the Jets is going to be Geno Smith.
“As your veteran, stopgap before you draft the eventual franchise and hopeful savior of this team to finally break the streak that is the longest playoff drought of all four major sports.”
Las Vegas Can Turn the Page on Geno Smith
As for Las Vegas, the Raiders need a franchise QB, and they are in a prime position to select one in former Indiana Hoosiers star Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza had a passer rating of 182.9 with 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 16 games this past season for the Hoosiers, per StatMuse.
Furthermore, if they need more convincing, former NFL signal-caller Jordan Palmer shared insight into Mendoza, with whom he has been in contact since the player was making the move to Cal.
“I know him very well and really came on my radar on his way to Cal,” Palmer said on the Jan. 26 edition of “The Jim Rome Show.” “Somebody tipped me off that this kid’s going to be really good… Look, the skill set, it doesn’t take you too long to go, ‘Alright, cool, NFL guy.‘ The skill set is what it is. He’s mobile, he makes every throw, he likes to throw on time.”
Fernando Mendoza Is Ready to Handle Raiders Situation
Moreover, Palmer believes that Mendoza is the right guy to head into Las Vegas and turn their fortunes around.
“I think uniquely about this is you got the Raiders, which whatever you want to say about the ownership and the decisions they make, then you add in Tom Brady, then you’re going to have a new coach, “ Palmer added.
“Plus, it’s Vegas and all the temptations and stuff that come with that. Plus, Raider Nation, which is a much bigger fan base than Indiana Hoosiers. I think he’s the perfect guy to come in here and play well and weather the storm.”
It will be interesting to see if the Raiders decide to let Smith go, whether they will bring in another QB and have Mendoza watch until the coaching staff feels he’s ready, or if the rookie starts from the start and learns as he goes.
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