As the Klint Kubiak era begins in Sin City, Geno Smith’s future with the Las Vegas Raiders is unclear. General manager John Spytek’s latest comments signal a coming decision shaped by contract timing, staff evaluations and the team’s offseason plan.
Let’s all take a deep breath and step away from the offseason Ouija board.
Spytek’s quote did not say, “Geno Smith is gone.” It did not say, “post-June cut confirmed.” It did not say, “Call Marcus Mariota immediately.” What it did say, in plain football executive language, is that the Raiders are following the contract calendar and building a process before making a decision. That is not a headline twist. That is how competent front offices operate.
What did Raiders GM John Spytek say about Geno Smith?
“The contract predicates that a little bit” is not code for doom. It is an acknowledgment that deadlines, guarantees and cap triggers exist, and those mechanics help shape timing. That is not some dramatic reveal. It is literally roster management.
The rush to translate every neutral quote into a transaction is peak February behavior. One sentence about a timeline becomes “he’s definitely a post-June cut.” Another note about organizational alignment becomes a referendum on last year’s power structure. By that logic, if Spytek says they need to eat lunch, half the internet will report that the Raiders are trading the cafeteria.
Spytek’s “same language” comment is exactly what Raiders fans should want to hear. Alignment between the front office and coaching staff is not fluff; it is roster-building infrastructure. For a team trying to avoid wasted cap space, mixed messaging and stalled development, coherence matters.
Debate Geno Smith’s future, his cap number and whether the Raiders should go younger. That is legitimate. But treating a routine “we’ll evaluate, meet and form a plan” answer as a hidden cut announcement is not analysis. It is offseason speculation dressed up as insight.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images