After three consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs, the Las Vegas Raiders set out to make massive changes this offseason. Some of those have included hiring a new head coach and general manager, who came together to add a new franchise quarterback, Geno Smith .
While the Raiders did manage to add a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, there were other Pro Bowl options linked to Las Vegas . Some of those include Matthew Stafford , Aaron Rodgers , and Sam Darnold .
Unlike Smith and Stafford, Rodgers and Darnold were both free agents, meaning they should have been the easiest to acquire, considering the Raiders wouldn't have had to part with any trade compensation to make a change.
Yet, according to The Athletic's Mike Silver , Raiders minority owner Tom Brady actually didn't want the Raiders to sign Darnold, or Rodgers, for that matter.
"The Seahawks ' pursuit of Darnold snuck up on many NFL observers and proceeded in rapid-fire fashion. While some believed the Las Vegas Raiders would try to sign Darnold, minority owner Tom Brady — a seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback whose opinion held great sway — was not in favor of that approach, according to a source familiar with the franchise's internal discussions."
Darnold eventually signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Meanwhile, the Raiders traded a third-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft for Smith, then signed the 34-year-old to a two-year, $75 million contract.
While Darnold, 28, offers more long-term potential, Brady and the Raiders evidently felt like they'd rather spend a third-round pick to trade for Smith, who's six years older instead. Interestingly enough, the Raiders are also set to pay Smith roughly $4.5 million more per season.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings: Who's No. 1 after the NFL Draft?
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