The Las Vegas Raiders were finally able to come to a deal on a contract extension with quarterback Geno Smith on Thursday. He'll now be under contract with the team for at least three years.
That lines up him with Pete Carroll's contract. Star defensive end Maxx Crosby has complained in the past about the Raiders' lack of winning since he joined the team.
A proven quarterback is the quickest way to help change that. Smith will be a sizable upgrade over what the Raiders have had the last couple of seasons and may even be an improvement over Derek Carr.
Crosby, for his part, is very excited the team was able to lock down the quarterback.
“I’m hyped. Geno’s a baller and exactly what we needed for this team and organization," Crosby told Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz. "It starts with the work and commitment. The brotherhood. Now it’s our time to prove that. Let’s go win.”
This contract situation could've leaked further into the offseason which would've been a problem for the team. The Athletic even reported that Smith would've considered holding out without a new deal.
Luckily, the Raiders got ahead of it and now there's no question about who their starting quarterback will be for at least a couple of seasons.