Pete Carroll, the Las Vegas Raiders head coach, now confronts a significant salary-cap hurdle. A commitment of a hefty guarantee of $18.5 million in 2026 to Quarterback Geno Smith has left the franchise in a pickle. While Smith once revived his career under Carroll in Seattle, his current form numbs optimism.

“I think he’s turning the corner,” head coach Pete Carroll told ESPN. “He’s as competitive as ever. He’s frustrated because we want to win, and we want to play big and all that. He’s ready to go, and we need to build it up around him.”

The quarterback, in 7 games played this season, has scored 7 touchdowns and thrown 10 interceptions. Geno Smith threw for 1,417 yards on 133 attempts. Defenders sacked him 19 times.

Smith’s inconsistent output causes a fundamental issue. The substantial guaranteed amount restricts the roster’s flexibility. According to the details, Smith’s base pay will increase to $26.5 million in 2026, with $18.5 million fully guaranteed. Since the guarantee is still in effect even if Smith isn’t on the roster, Carroll’s team will suffer a significant dead-cap blow if he must turn away from Smith.

The deal limits trade options. Even if Smith underperforms, the team must keep him.

Additionally, trading Smith isn’t an ideal way out either. Any purchasing team would be burdened with enormous cap burdens under his deal, making the decision uncertain. Smith’s comeback now determines Carroll’s capacity to rebuild or retool around the quarterback. But will that be on the cards for Smith? Especially after a blow-out 31-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Raiders collapse to Chiefs at Arrowhead

Geno Smith’s performance in Week 7 at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, sealed his doom. Before being pulled in the fourth quarter, he completed 10 of 16 passes for just 67 yards and no touchdowns.

“Tough losses like this should be a gut check and it should make you lock in more with your teammates,” Smith said after the game.

With just three first downs, the Las Vegas Raiders only gained a pitiful 95 total yards. The offense gave no pushback and lacked drive. The Chiefs controlled possession and scored 434 yards.

“This was a game that I didn’t see coming. We had prepared really well,” Pete Carroll said. 

Smith’s lackluster play and the team’s inability to build momentum were the main causes of his benching. With a 2-5 record, the Raiders’ season is getting worse.

The consequences for Smith are severe. His position is now in grave danger. The coaching staff must decide because of the lack of output and growing losses. The benching creates room for change at quarterback and indicates a decline in trust.