The Las Vegas Raiders have secured their quarterback in Geno Smith, the former Seattle Seahawks player, who is now tasked with reviving the team’s fortunes. However, he realistically has about three years to accomplish this, as per the duration of his new contract extension.

The Raiders might want to prepare for the long term in case Smith’s plan doesn’t pan out as expected. They can do so by either hoping Aidan O’Connell progresses further as Smith’s backup or by choosing a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, irrespective of Smith’s recent contract extension. With O’Connell, the Raiders have someone who has started several games and achieved success in a few. His accuracy and strong connection with Tre Tucker on deep throws are promising.

This option would not only be wise since they are familiar with his capabilities, but it would also save them a draft pick. Alternatively, if they opt to draft a quarterback, it likely won’t be early in the draft, possibly on Day 3. There’s no justification for using a first-round pick on a quarterback when that selection should ideally contribute to winning games immediately.

If they choose to draft one, it would be a Day 3 pick with potential, such as Will Howard, familiar with Chip Kelly’s offense, or Kyle McCord, a projected Day 3 choice who led Division 1 in passing yards. This raises the question: Should the Raiders emulate the Green Bay Packers’ strategy when they selected Jordan Love?

No, they shouldn’t pick a first-round quarterback like Green Bay did, but they could draft a quarterback to learn under Smith, similar to how Green Bay did with Aaron Rodgers. This strategy has paid off for the Packers, who are now one of the league’s youngest teams with a promising future, having reached the playoffs last season. The Raiders should consider following their NFC counterpart’s example.