Pete Carroll calls Geno Smith elite: "I feel, really, like we're connected at the hip"

The Raiders reunited head coach Pete Carroll with Geno Smith by acquiring the quarterback via trade earlier this offseason.

Now that Las Vegas’ offseason program has advanced to OTA practices, Carroll has gotten to see plenty of Smith in the building in the last two months. On Wednesday, the 73-year-old coach was effusive in his praise of the quarterback.

“I really feel so fortunate that we were able to get that [trade] done — [G.M.] John Spytek got it done for us — because of all that he brings,” Carroll said in his press conference. “To me, he’s been emblematic of what a leader should be by his habits and by the way he brings himself every day. He’s the first guy out here. He’s the last guy to leave. It’s really important to him that he stands for what leadership is all about. And he’s a good football player, too, he’s looked great in practice so far. So, we’re really excited about what he’s bringing.”

Have Carroll and Smith been able to pick up where they left off with the Seahawks?

“We ain’t getting along at all, I mean listen,” Carroll joked, tongue firmly in cheek. “It’s been a natural transition. From the time we first contacted him and let him know we were in on this deal, and we were trying to see if we could make some sense of it, we were both excited about it. And so I feel, really, like we’re connected at the hip.

“And we have so much background. It’s not just the couple of seasons that he played, it’s all of the years that he was there. Because to me, coaching the next quarterback up is really, really crucial. So, we spent a lot of time — communicating, setting our priorities straight, staying on course, and he’s just been a champion at that. And now, he comes out the other end of that time frame, and he’s an elite quarterback in the league. So, what he brings to us is great confidence. He brings to me — I know we’re going to get great play out of his spot. So, it’s real easy to work that out.”

Smith represents a clear upgrade at QB from the club’s performance at that spot over the last few seasons. We’ll see if Carroll and Smith can boost the Raiders to a winning record in 2025 starting in the fall.