QB’s self-belief sparks hopes of Raiders turnaround: ‘He brings a lot’

At some point on Sunday, when the Raiders take the field at Gillette Stadium for their season opener against the Patriots, Geno Smith will take a moment for himself.

It will be a chance, as fleeting as it might end up being, for Smith to reflect on the unlikely path that led him to his fifth NFL team. He was cast aside multiple times in his career. Now the 34-year-old quarterback is one of the biggest reasons the Raiders are optimistic they can improve on last year’s 4-13 campaign.

Smith, at various points in his NFL journey, backed up the likes of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson. He understood the role. He just knew he was capable of more.

Maybe it was his South Florida upbringing. Or his unwavering belief in himself. But Smith, no matter where he was or who was in front of him, always practiced, studied and acted like a starter.

That’s exactly what he proved to be when given another opportunity to be one.

“Not in a cocky or arrogant way, but I just feel that I’m one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL,” Smith said.

Smith’s self-belief explains why he was ready when coach Pete Carroll named him the Seahawks starting quarterback in 2022. Smith immediately proved to be one of the NFL’s top dozen signal callers.

It’s no surprise then that Carroll traded for Smith after taking over the Raiders in January. Carroll wanted somebody who could embody the culture he was building in Las Vegas. He’s been counting his blessings ever since.

“Geno being here is such a positive factor for restarting this program, and not just because we were together and he extends the message,” Carroll. “He is the message.”

Looking back

Smith was picked by the Jets in the second round of the 2013 draft out of West Virginia.

It didn’t take long for him to join the extensive list of young quarterbacks that failed to flourish with the franchise. Smith went 12-18 with the Jets and left after the 2016 season. Soon he seemed destined to be a career backup.

Smith spent one season each with the Giants and Chargers before signing a one-year deal to play for Carroll and the Seahawks in 2019. The decision changed the course of his career.

Smith didn’t even take a snap backing up Wilson that first season, but he still re-signed in Seattle. He found a kindred spirit on the team in the ever-optimistic Carroll.

Carroll, for his part, respected Smith’s professionalism, how he prepared each and every day like he could go in the game.

“What I realized in him early on, not before we got him, but once we got him, got to know him, that he was able to take every single day with a clear thought that, ‘I may play the very next play, and I’m not going to miss that opportunity,’” Carroll said. “And he did it for a number of years. I mean, not weeks, I’m talking for years playing behind Russell, and he just never let up on that thought.”

Smith, even when he wasn’t playing, took pride in being a good teammate. He also wanted to be an asset to Wilson and the other starting quarterbacks he was backing up.

“When I was with Russell, when I was with Phil, when I was with Eli, Ryan Fitzpatrick, I always looked at myself as a second coach,” Smith said. “And I would be out there on the field, Pete would be out there and I’m coaching Russ, like, ‘Hey man, fourth quarter. You’re Kobe Bryant, go out there and win the game for us.’ I’m just talking to him and giving him the same thing that I would want in return. So, I think it comes down to the golden rule, ‘Treat others as you want to be treated.’”

Smith still never lost hope in himself. He believed he would get another chance.

“I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I knew an opportunity would come if I just continued to work hard and continued to believe,” Smith said.

Opportunity knocks

Smith’s chance arrived in 2022.

The Seahawks traded Wilson to the Broncos and had Smith and Drew Lock compete to be the starter. Most of the NFL world didn’t think much of Seattle’s chances. But Carroll had seen enough over the previous three seasons to believe Smith was ready to take the league by storm.

“As soon as we had the opportunity to put him in a position to take the lead, I couldn’t wait,” Carroll said.

Smith, in his first season starting for the Seahawks, completed 69.8 percent of his passes for 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Seattle, coming off a 7-10 finish the year before, improved to 9-8 and made the playoffs.

Smith didn’t prove to be a one-season wonder, either.

He ranks fourth in passing yards, eighth in passing touchdowns and sixth in wins over the past three seasons.

The quarterback so many typecast as a backup proved to be as productive as any passer in the NFL. It validated all the hard work Smith put in over the years.

“I’ve always felt that the belief in myself is always going to be greater than the belief that anyone else can have for me,” Smith said. “And I’ve always had that.”

Reuniting with Carroll

Smith, despite being named to the Pro Bowl in two of his three seasons as Seattle’s starter, reached a contract impasse with the Seahawks this offseason.

That opened the door for the Raiders to acquire him in March for a third-round pick.

That gave Smith another opportunity to work with Carroll and a chance to learn from offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, one of the most creative offensive minds in football.

The Raiders worked hard to surround Smith with talent. Running back Ashton Jeanty and wide receivers Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. were added in the draft, joining tight end Brock Bowers, veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and speedster Tre Tucker as the team’s primary weapons.

Those players are excited to have a experienced pro like Smith distributing the ball.

“He’s one of the best I feel like I’ve played with, honestly,” Meyers said. “He’s accurate, he can throw it far, hit every spot, can move around. He brings a lot to the game of football.”

Said Tucker: “To have a guy like that to command the whole offense, man, it’s a blessing, and it’s going to pay real big dividends for us this year.”

Smith, thanks to all the pieces around him, can simply play point guard in the Raiders’ offense. That’s what he’ll try to do Sunday after taking some time to think back on his journey from longtime backup to franchise quarterback twice over.

“That’s exactly my game, just do the right thing, make the right decisions, get the ball out of my hands in rhythm, on time and accurately, and let the playmakers do their jobs,” Smith said. “My job is to get us to the right play and then make the right decision. So, as long as I’m doing that with the guys around me, we should be fine.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.