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Report: Geno Smith 'still has a chance' to start somewhere in 2026

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko03/07/26nickkosko59

Veteran quarterback Geno Smith could still start for a team in 2026, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to release the QB now that attention has shifted to Fernando Mendoza in the NFL Draft.

Fowler reported a couple of options for Smith going forward. But it’ll be an interesting process for teams looking for a veteran option.

“Geno Smith will be released at the start of the new league year, and he will look for a new home,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “This is sort of a mutual parting. He was going to get released anyways, but Smith wanted somewhere else to go. He didn’t like to set up with the Raiders, where he was really going to have to take all the bullets early in the season for Fernando Mendoza to eventually bench him. 

“So he could be in play for the Vikings. He’s on their short list of veterans that they’re going to look at. (The) Dolphins are also attracted to Geno Smith as well, but they’re probably going the Malik Willis route to look at that option. So Geno Smith still has a chance to be a starter somewhere. Didn’t play great last year, but he’s looking to rebound. We’ll see how that shakes out.”

Smith went 2-13 as a starter in 2025, regressing from his Seattle days. He threw for 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in those 15 games.

Smith’s free agency will be interesting considering where Willis ends up in the equation, as Fowler reported. After playing sparingly for the Packers as a fill-in for Jordan Love, Willis might command $30 million per year on the open market.

Willis is a former third-round pick out of Liberty, originally playing for the Tennessee Titans. But only two seasons in Nashville took place before getting shipped out. Green Bay picked up Willis and inserted him as the backup quarterback. When Jordan Love experienced some injuries, some playing time did come to fruition.

Eleven total appearances took place for Willis as a Packer. Three of those were starts, winning two of them. Green Bay saw Willis complete 78.7% of his 89 throws for the franchise, adding 972 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. Willis added 261 yards and three touchdowns on the ground over 42 carries. Arguably more impressive in the run game, Willis picked up 15 first downs.