Ex-Super Bowl champion gets candid on Raiders’ Super Bowl chances with Geno Smith as QB1

Since relocating to Las Vegas in 2020, the Raiders have made the playoffs just once—in 2021—falling to the Bengals in the Wild Card round.

Ex-Super Bowl champion gets candid on Raiders’ Super Bowl chances with Geno Smith as QB1

James Jones opened up on what the Geno Smith addition means to the Las Vegas Raiders unit. (Images via CBS Sports/FOX Media)

The Las Vegas Raiders had been one of the teams with a glorified gritty history paired with championship wins in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. The team, which relocated to Las Vegas in 2020, won two titles as the Oakland Raiders and one as the Los Angeles Raiders.

The 2024 season was no different from the recent pattern they have been going through, either. However, the 4-13 record was the worst ever since the relocation. Frazzled by quarterback troubles in Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew II, the Raiders plummeted to the fourth position in the AFC West and crashed out.

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Looking ahead, the Raiders have made some deep changes. The team, now minority-owned by Tom Brady, brought in Super Bowl-winning coach Pete Carroll. Carroll took over the team in no time and found a much-needed relief in the center with the trade of Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks. Recently, they extended the quarterback to a two-year extension worth up to $85.5 million.

Although Geno Smith had a decent season with the Seahawks, it wasn’t enough to get them to the playoffs. That has indeed raised a question about Smith’s capabilities.

Former Super Bowl-winning wideout James Jones had a take on this in the recent episode of The Facility. Jones, speaking about the Raiders, admitted that the presence of Geno Smith elevates the team to a playoff contender.

Pete Carroll wouldn’t have got this due for a reason. He did. Whether whatever we want to think about Geno Smith, Pete Carroll went to the playoffs with Geno Smith. Pete Carroll knows what Geno Smith needs to be successful. Pete Carroll knows how to build a really good roster… Geno Smith is a quarterback that can take you to the playoffs. Why? Because he has. And he’s did that with Pete Carroll.

James Jones said

Over the past four seasons, Smith has been the most accurate quarterback in the NFL, and last season, he ranked second only to the Bengals’ Joe Burrow in on-target throw percentage. In addition, the deal has provided the Raiders good space and money in-hand to add much more valuable options.

The Raiders can use the sixth pick to elevate the roster to a playoff contender from AFC West

The Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in a challenging position in the fiercely competitive AFC West. The AFC West saw three teams, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Denver Broncos, all qualifying for the playoffs in 2024.

Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty (Via Yardbarker)

To potentially join the lot, the Raiders must focus on strengthening key areas of need: running back, wide receiver, and cornerback—priorities identified by ESPN’s Matt Miller.

While the addition of Raheem Mostert adds veteran presence to the backfield, the Raiders still finished last in rushing yards in 2024. Pete Carroll needs more firepower to execute his vision by aligning the Raiders to his first run philosophy.

One compelling option is Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty was electric in 2024, falling just short of breaking the single-season collegiate football rushing record. His blend of power, agility, and vision makes him a plug-and-play weapon who could instantly upgrade the Raiders’ ground game and take pressure off quarterback Geno Smith.

On the receiving end, Las Vegas boasts two 1,000-yard pass catchers in tight end Brock Bowers and wideout Jakobi Meyers. However, there’s a noticeable lack of depth and explosiveness beyond them. Adding a field-stretching wide receiver, probably Tetairoa McMillan, would help diversify the offense and open up space for both Bowers and the ground game.

Defensively, the secondary remains a concern, with cornerback being a critical area to address. The Raiders must find a lockdown presence to contend with elite AFC West quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. The Raiders, if address, some of the blank spaces, could emerge as a top contender for the playoffs in the coming January.

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