Quarterback Geno Smith is returning to where his career started after the jets acquired him in a trade with Las Vegas that exchanges late-round draft positions. The move reunites New York with a 2013 second-round pick and signals a short-term veteran addition for a team that will evaluate options under its current staff once the deal becomes official.
Geno Smith’s return to the Jets and the late-round pick exchange
Las Vegas sent Geno Smith plus a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round selection, moving up from No. 228 to No. 208 in the upcoming draft. New York surrendered the higher pick but regained a former second-round choice from 2013 when bringing Smith back. The transaction cannot become official until Wednesday, the first day of the NFL’s new league year.
Contract terms and Las Vegas’ roster move toward Fernando Mendoza
One part of the context shows a renegotiated deal with two years and $66 million remaining on Smith’s contract; another part notes an earlier two-year, $75 million extension that the Raiders had handed him. Las Vegas could have released Smith, the team that went 3-14 last season, but instead arranged the trade and is said to be absorbing the bulk of Smith’s salary to facilitate the move. The Raiders are widely expected to be in position to select Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 pick in the draft.
If Jets continue with Geno Smith — Should Las Vegas select Fernando Mendoza
If Jets continue with Geno Smith… Smith, a 35-year-old who returns to the franchise that drafted him in the second round in 2013, will enter a situation where the roster now includes targets such as receiver Garrett Wilson and tight end Mason Taylor and where coach Aaron Glenn could use an experienced veteran. For the Jets, the immediate force is a low-cost veteran quarterback option while the team evaluates its depth chart after acquiring Smith.
Should Las Vegas select Fernando Mendoza… If the Raiders follow the visible draft posture and take Indiana quarterback and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the top pick, the move explains why Las Vegas no longer had a long-term need for Smith. The Raiders previously gave Smith a substantial extension and then shifted course amid a 3-14 season in which he faced heavy pressure, including a career-high 55 sacks and a league-high 17 interceptions in the cited campaign.
Based on context data:
- Trade components: 2026 seventh-round pick (to Jets) vs. 2026 sixth-round pick (to Raiders).
- Contract notes: two years and $66 million remaining; another reference to a two-year, $75 million extension.
- Team context: Raiders finished 3-14 last season and are linked to taking Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick.
What the context does not resolve is the final allocation of Smith’s remaining pay and how either team will list starting quarterbacks on official depth charts after the new league year opens. The next confirmed signal in the timeline is the new league year beginning Wednesday, when trades and signings become official. Once that milestone arrives, teams will file roster changes and the practical effect of this late-round swap will be measurable in official transactions and announced depth charts.
