The Las Vegas Raiders will release quarterback Geno Smith at the start of the new NFL league year on Wednesday, ending his single-season stint with the franchise, per NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport. The numbers reveal a front office that made this call early: no extension talks occurred at any point during the 2025 season, and the team locked up the top draft pick with a clear plan already in place.
Why Las Vegas Is Moving On From Geno Smith
The Raiders hold the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 draft and plan to take Indiana signal-caller Fernando Mendoza, Rapoport reported. Keeping Smith would have added cap complexity and muddied the depth chart heading into a rebuild around a rookie starter. The organization structured his deal with an exit built in, and that exit is now being exercised.
No extension talks were reported at any point during the 2025 season. Smith was a one-year placeholder, not a long-term answer. That absence of negotiation tells you everything about how the front office framed this arrangement from day one.
A fair counterargument exists here. Veteran bridge quarterbacks provide real value while a rookie adjusts to NFL defenses, blitz packages, and play-action timing. Smith’s experience running a pro-style offense could have served Mendoza well during that adjustment window. The Raiders, though, appear confident Mendoza is ready to step in without that buffer.
Las Vegas is not treating the top selection as a trade asset. Rapoport reported the club plans to take Mendoza with that pick, making Smith’s release a direct roster-clearing move tied to that strategy. The front office is committed to their quarterback.
When a team drafts a signal-caller first overall, the entire offensive infrastructure shifts around him. The playbook, the personnel groupings, and the free-agent targets all get built around the incoming starter. Expect Las Vegas to prioritize offensive line depth and receiver targets this free-agent cycle, with Mendoza’s arm talent and timing mechanics in mind.
Film shows Mendoza operating comfortably from under center at Indiana with strong play-action mechanics, a trait that fits NFL systems built on pre-snap motion and run-pass options. The Raiders’ staff will build their offensive identity around those attributes from the start.
Key Roster Developments in This Move
Smith will be released at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, Rapoport reported.
His departure follows exactly one season with the franchise.
Las Vegas holds the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 draft.
Mendoza out of Indiana is the projected pick at that spot.
Releasing Smith was described as an expected move given the team’s draft position and quarterback plans.
The Raiders’ next quarterback move runs through the 2026 draft. With Smith off the roster and the top pick secured, Las Vegas enters the new league year with Mendoza as the clear target to lead the offense. Every free-agency decision at supporting positions will now be filtered through that transition.
Cutting Smith frees up his roster spot and cap room. The club could pursue a veteran backup as an insurance policy — a common practice when teams draft rookie quarterbacks — but that signing would carry far less cost than retaining a starter-level player like Smith.
Across the rest of the NFL, the league year opening brought significant movement. Danielle Hunter and the Houston Texans agreed to terms on a one-year, $40.1 million extension that includes a $30.7 million signing bonus, per Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Tom Pelissero. The Chicago Bears are trading wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, with the clubs swapping 2026 draft picks as part of that deal. Those transactions set the market tone for what teams across the league — including Las Vegas — will face in free agency this cycle.
The Raiders now have a clean slate at the most important position on the field. How they build around Mendoza in free agency and through the rest of the draft will define this franchise’s direction for the next several years. The organizational commitment to selecting Mendoza first overall appears firm, and Smith’s release stands as the clearest signal of that direction.
Why are the Las Vegas Raiders releasing Geno Smith?
The Raiders are releasing Smith because the club holds the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 draft and plans to take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with that pick, per Rapoport. Retaining Smith did not fit the franchise’s plan to rebuild around a new starter.
Who will the Raiders draft with the No. 1 overall pick?
Las Vegas is projected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top pick in the 2026 draft, according to Rapoport. Mendoza’s expected selection is the driving force behind the decision to cut Smith ahead of the new league year.
When will Geno Smith officially be released by the Raiders?
Smith will be officially released at the start of the new NFL league year on Wednesday, Rapoport reported on Friday. The timing aligns with the standard roster transaction window that opens with the new league year.
How long did Geno Smith play for the Las Vegas Raiders?
Smith played one season for the franchise before being released, per Rapoport. He joined for the 2025 season but never secured a long-term commitment from the organization, which had already positioned itself to draft a quarterback with the top overall selection.
Jake Whitmore is a small-town Texas reporter who worked his way up from covering Friday night high school football to the NFL. With over nine years in sports journalism, Jake writes like he is talking to fans at a tailgate -- direct, passionate, and full of the enthusiasm that makes football Sundays special. He covers game previews, roster moves, and the fan perspective on every major NFL storyline.
