Geno Smith’s move to the Raiders won’t be missed by the Arizona Cardinals.
The NFL is an ever-evolving league, where player movement and organizational shifts often have far-reaching consequences. One of the most intriguing storylines of the 2025 offseason is the potential move of Geno Smith, the Seattle Seahawks quarterback, to the Las Vegas Raiders. For many, this move may be perceived as a fresh chapter in Smith’s career—his first real opportunity to step into a leadership role with a franchise that needs stability at quarterback. However, for the Arizona Cardinals, the move of Geno Smith to the Raiders likely won’t be something they will miss.
The Landscape of the NFC West
To understand why the Arizona Cardinals won’t be concerned about Geno Smith moving to the Raiders, it’s crucial to first contextualize the situation within the NFC West. The division, historically home to some of the NFL’s most high-profile teams, has seen drastic changes in recent years. With teams like the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers competing for supremacy, the Arizona Cardinals have been left in a rebuilding phase, under the stewardship of a new head coach and quarterback.
Over the past few seasons, the Cardinals have struggled, particularly at the quarterback position. With the departure of Kyler Murray due to injury, the team’s focus has shifted toward rebuilding and developing a more solid foundation. They are no longer a playoff contender with a legitimate quarterback threat in the same way they were when they had Carson Palmer in the mid-2010s. The Seahawks’ Geno Smith had his moments, leading the team to success with remarkable consistency after taking over from Russell Wilson. However, the quarterback play in the NFC West has, for the most part, been overshadowed by the likes of Wilson, Murray, and the 49ers’ rotation.
Geno Smith’s Impact on the NFC West
The NFC West, for the past decade, has been a battleground for quarterbacks with a variety of skill sets. Geno Smith, in his second chance as a starting quarterback for the Seahawks, showed flashes of brilliance and some marked improvement from his earlier years. In his best season with the Seahawks, Smith not only solidified his spot as a competent starting quarterback but also guided Seattle to a playoff berth. This rejuvenation of Smith’s career had some league observers believing that his success could carry over into other systems or be a model for quarterback longevity.
But in terms of the Cardinals’ future, Smith’s exit from Seattle (if he indeed moves to the Raiders) doesn’t significantly change the competitive landscape in the NFC West. The Cardinals’ immediate concerns don’t revolve around facing Smith twice a year. Whether Smith is under center for the Seahawks or the Raiders doesn’t fundamentally alter the Cardinals’ approach. They are a team rebuilding from the ground up, and competing with Smith’s Seahawks wasn’t a realistic target for them in the coming seasons. Arizona’s priority lies in developing their own quarterback, potentially through the draft or free agency, to lead them into the future.
The Arizona Cardinals’ Rebuilding Phase
One of the critical reasons the Cardinals won’t miss Geno Smith is their current trajectory as a rebuilding team. After an unsuccessful stint with coach Kliff Kingsbury, the Cardinals ushered in a new coaching staff to focus on player development and long-term success. Whether it’s through a new quarterback or solidifying their defense, the Cardinals’ biggest goal is to build a team for sustained success. They aren’t particularly focused on the current NFC West hierarchy, and the prospect of a division rival improving its quarterback situation doesn’t fundamentally change their situation.
In the past few seasons, the Cardinals have experienced a wave of inconsistency at the quarterback position. From Kyler Murray’s injuries to the struggles of veteran journeyman quarterbacks like Colt McCoy and Josh Dobbs, the Cardinals have yet to find stability under center. The club seems more focused on finding its next franchise quarterback—be it through the draft or via trade—rather than worrying about Geno Smith’s future elsewhere.
Moreover, even when Smith was with the Seahawks, the Cardinals were consistently outclassed by the more talented and dynamic teams in the division. The 49ers, with their well-coached defense and offensive playmakers, are a dominant force in the NFC West, and the Rams have shown flashes of being competitive with a healthy roster. Geno Smith, despite his individual success, wasn’t likely a key player in the Cards’ efforts to regain relevancy in the division.
The Las Vegas Raiders’ Future with Geno Smith
On the other side of the equation, Geno Smith’s potential move to the Las Vegas Raiders is intriguing. The Raiders, after parting ways with Derek Carr, have struggled to find a long-term solution at quarterback. Smith’s arrival could bring a veteran presence to a team that has flirted with mediocrity. While Smith had a successful stint with the Seahawks, there’s skepticism about whether he can consistently perform at a high level in another system. The Raiders have been a team in flux since their relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas, and quarterback has been a problem for years.
With Smith at the helm, the Raiders may find themselves in a rebuilding process similar to what the Cardinals are going through. Smith’s ability to lead the Raiders in a similar way he led the Seahawks would likely hinge on how quickly the team can establish offensive chemistry and build a functioning offensive line. However, given the Raiders’ history and lack of significant playoff success, it’s hard to envision Smith transforming the franchise into a perennial contender in the same way he helped the Seahawks in the short term.
From the perspective of the Arizona Cardinals, Smith’s success or failure with the Raiders isn’t something that significantly affects their long-term plans. The Raiders’ issues, especially with their overall roster and management, are independent of what Smith does. The Cardinals are more concerned about their own situation, the development of their young players, and whether they can move past their current stage of rebuilding. The move might matter to the Raiders and the NFC West’s overall competitiveness, but it has little bearing on the Cardinals’ objectives in the coming seasons.
NFC West Dynamics Moving Forward
The Cardinals’ future in the NFC West hinges on the growth of their young players and the development of a new quarterback, potentially in the draft. Even as Geno Smith’s move to the Raiders potentially strengthens the competition for teams in the AFC West, the NFC West remains a division driven by defense, depth, and dynamic offenses. Teams like the 49ers and Seahawks (with or without Smith) will continue to hold sway over the division, and for the Cardinals, the task is to rebuild to be competitive in the next few seasons.
The arrival of Geno Smith at the Raiders might inject some much-needed stability into Las Vegas, but it does not represent an immediate threat to the Cardinals. The franchise’s approach will focus on internal growth rather than external factors like the quarterback carousel in the division. The division’s balance of power isn’t likely to shift significantly because of Smith’s move, and for the Cardinals, their greatest challenge lies in their own rebuilding process.
Cardinals Focus on the Big Picture
In conclusion, Geno Smith’s potential move to the Raiders is a notable storyline in the NFL offseason, but for the Arizona Cardinals, it isn’t a game-changer. While Smith’s departure from the Seahawks might shift the balance of the NFC West in some ways, the Cardinals are too focused on their rebuilding phase to be concerned about one quarterback’s movement. The future of the Cardinals will depend on their own quarterback development and how they choose to structure their roster moving forward. Geno Smith’s move to the Raiders won’t be the pivotal moment that changes Arizona’s trajectory. Instead, it will be another footnote in the larger process of rebuilding the franchise to compete in the years to come.
The Cardinals’ path to becoming a competitive force in the NFC West lies in their own internal decisions, and Geno Smith’s new home won’t be one of the factors that diverts them from their goals.