Will Geno Smith be benched? Raiders QB struggles again in Monday night loss to Cowboys

Daniel Chavkin

Will Geno Smith be benched? Raiders QB struggles again in Monday night loss to Cowboys image

The Las Vegas Raiders have been one of the bigger disappointments in the NFL this season, as the combination of Geno Smith and Pete Carroll hasn't led to wins.

Smith in particular has struggled, as he leads the league in interceptions and has thrown more picks than passing touchdowns. The 35-year-old signed a lucrative extension with Las Vegas in the offseason, which may be part of the reason why the Raiders have kept starting him.

While the Raiders offense has issues that go beyond the quarterback position, benching Smith could be on the table if the unit still has struggles. Here's a look at whether Las Vegas will make a quarterback switch.

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Will Geno Smith be benched?

Against the Cowboys, Smith produced 238 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception, his eighth game with an interception this year. Smith was also sacked four times and threw the ball 42 times during the game.

The Raiders have stuck with Geno Smith despite the offense's issues, and it is unlikely that they would bench him on a short week. Still, Las Vegas is now 2-8 and one of the most disappointing teams in the league, which includes a four-game losing streak.

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Raiders QB depth chart

RankPlayer
1.Geno Smith
2.Kenny Pickett
3.Aidan O'Connell (IR)

If the Raiders do bench Smith, they would have to go with Kenny Pickett as his replacement. Pickett, the former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick, was acquired from the Cleveland Browns in training camp after Aidan O'Connell suffered a right wrist injury.

Pickett has 25 career starts in the NFL, but just one since the start of the 2024 season. That came while Pickett was backing up Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles late last year.

If the Raiders instead want to go with O'Connell to replace Smith, they would need to wait until the quarterback is back from injury. O'Connell suffered a fractured right wrist in Las Vegas' final preseason game, but he should be approaching the end of his rehab timeline.

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