Latest news with #GenoSmith
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2025 Rookie Stat Prediction: Ashton Jeanty
The Las Vegas Raiders made a tempo setting move when they took Memphis running back Ashton Jeanty at the top end of round one in the 2025 NFL Draft. A Heisman finalist and one of the best players in the country, Jeanty is a slam dunk for a team wanting to forge a new identity under head coach Pete Carroll. With Las Vegas boasting a new quarterback in Geno Smith who can put up the deep ball as well as anyone in the league, Jeanty should have plenty of opportunity with teams unable to load the box against him. Given Jeanty should be the easily number one back on the team, and that he should be the tempo setting engine that makes the offense move, he should see plenty of action throughout the season and be one of the leagues most productive backs. Given his skillset and the amount of opportunity he will get, expect Jeanty to be the heavy favorite for 'Offensive Rookie of the Year' as he should be one of the top producers at his position. Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Prediction: 1,300 rush yards, 550 receiving yards, 14 touchdowns This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: 2025 Rookie Stat Prediction: Ashton Jeanty
Calgary Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Ottawa Redblacks aim to use final tuneup as tempo setter for "Grey Cup or bust" season
The Ottawa Redblacks have a singular goal this season. Article content 'Grey Cup or bust, man,' said James Peter, the former Ottawa Gee-Gee who will start at middle linebacker for the Redblacks when they take on the Montreal Alouettes in their preseason finale Friday at TD Place. 'We're going Grey Cup, all the way. I totally believe it. Article content 'We definitely have the guys here to do it. We have the coaches, we have the players. We're super adept at all our positions. So I really feel like we have the room to really get this Grey Cup for Ottawa.' Article content Article content Article content Geno Smith, one of the CFL's best receivers, was signed as a free agent and joins a core group of American pass catchers that includes the exceptional Justin Hardy, Bralon Addison and Kalil 'The Thrill' Pimpleton. Article content Three-time 1,000-yard rusher William Stanback might have been an even bigger get for general manager Shawn Burk, as he gives Ottawa a running game it lacked after Ryquell Armstead was released for undisciplinary behaviour midway through the 2024 season. Article content Not to be overlooked is the addition of solid veteran centre Peter Godber, who will help open holes for Stanback and provide protection for Brown. Article content Article content If a veteran defence sprinkled with all sorts of star power can match/exceed its capabilities under new co-ordinator William Fields, there's no reason not to expect the Redblacks to contend for their first championship in nine years — and Ottawa's second Grey Cup since 1976. Article content Article content 'It's a whole different scheme of football that we have compared to the last two years, but it's more adaptable for us to play fast, physical football,' Peter said. 'We have guys able to fly to the ball a lot more, just based on how the scheme is run. On top of that, guys don't have to think as much, just play freely and play the football that they've been God-gifted with. In terms of our defensive scheme and everything like that, it's all super simple for us. Article content 'So the whole mindset for us is to go out there and dominate.'
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Redblacks aim to use final tuneup as tempo setter for "Grey Cup or bust" season
Article content 'Grey Cup or bust, man,' said James Peter, the former Ottawa Gee-Gee who will start at middle linebacker for the Redblacks when they take on the Montreal Alouettes in their preseason finale Friday at TD Place. 'We're going Grey Cup, all the way. I totally believe it. Article content 'We definitely have the guys here to do it. We have the coaches, we have the players. We're super adept at all our positions. So I really feel like we have the room to really get this Grey Cup for Ottawa.' Article content Article content Article content Geno Smith, one of the CFL's best receivers, was signed as a free agent and joins a core group of American pass catchers that includes the exceptional Justin Hardy, Bralon Addison and Kalil 'The Thrill' Pimpleton. Article content Three-time 1,000-yard rusher William Stanback might have been an even bigger get for general manager Shawn Burk, as he gives Ottawa a running game it lacked after Ryquell Armstead was released for undisciplinary behaviour midway through the 2024 season. Article content Not to be overlooked is the addition of solid veteran centre Peter Godber, who will help open holes for Stanback and provide protection for Brown. Article content Article content If a veteran defence sprinkled with all sorts of star power can match/exceed its capabilities under new co-ordinator William Fields, there's no reason not to expect the Redblacks to contend for their first championship in nine years — and Ottawa's second Grey Cup since 1976. Article content Article content 'It's a whole different scheme of football that we have compared to the last two years, but it's more adaptable for us to play fast, physical football,' Peter said. 'We have guys able to fly to the ball a lot more, just based on how the scheme is run. On top of that, guys don't have to think as much, just play freely and play the football that they've been God-gifted with. In terms of our defensive scheme and everything like that, it's all super simple for us. Article content 'So the whole mindset for us is to go out there and dominate.' Article content The Redblacks didn't get the media attention they would have if they had held their training camp in Ottawa, but there were benefits from spending two weeks in the dorms at Queen's University and in a smaller community like Kingston.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Geno Smith and Pete Carroll reunion in Vegas has the Raiders hoping for repeat success
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Raiders were stretching before practice Thursday when coach Pete Carroll wandered over to quarterback Geno Smith. As the two chatted for about a minute as Smith continued to go through his stretches, it was a clear reminder of the strong relationship the two built in Seattle — and what that could mean now that they are reunited in Las Vegas. 'I think Coach Carroll is extremely relatable,' Smith said. 'I think he understands that guys have got to be themselves in order to be their best selves. He's a fun person to be around. You see just how positive he always is, he's always got a bright smile, he's always laughing, joking around. It's not him above the team or anyone above the team. It's everyone together, collectively.' The Raiders hope the success the two had together with the Seahawks translates to their new home. Carroll took Seattle to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances — winning once with Russell Wilson at quarterback. Later, Carroll resurrected Smith's career by signing him in 2019 as the backup. Smith, a second-round pick in 2019 by the Jets, had lost his starting job with New York and spent one season each as a backup with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers. Smith took over as Seattle's starter in 2022 and led the league by completing 69.8% of his passes while throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He was selected as the NFL's AP Comeback Player of the Year. The Seahawks posted winning records all three years with Smith as the starter, but his career there reached a crossroads after last season. The two parties failed to reach a contract agreement, leading to the March 7 trade in which the Raiders gave up a third-round draft pick. That means Smith is starting over again. 'There's not a lot of guys that would have shown that resiliency,' offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. 'There's not a lot of guys that would have persevered through all of that. ... He's so relatable to everybody in this program because he's kind of lived that life. 'The fact that he has done it and come out and to be the way he is now is really a testament to him.' Smith said his up-and-down NFL career has helped him 'cherish it a little bit more.' The Raiders are putting their hopes and money — they signed Smith to a two-year, $75 million extension that takes it through the 2027 season — that he can help make the franchise at least competitive again. Three AFC West teams made the playoffs last season. The Raiders, who went 4-13, were the only ones taking early vacations, meaning hopes of ending a playoff victory drought that dates to the 2003 season would continue. Smith also has the burden of trying to win in a division with fellow quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix. But Smith also takes over an offense that includes tight end Brock Bowers, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and running back Ashton Jeanty. Bowers comes off a rookie season in which he was named an AP All-Pro after catching 112 passes for 1,194 yards. Meyers, who took over as the top receiver after Davante Adams was traded to the Jets, broke the 1,000-yard barrier for the first time. Jeanty was drafted sixth overall this year out of Boise State after finishing second in the Heisman Trophy balloting. 'Winning is something that we want to do right now,' Smith said. 'Just seeing the direction everything's going and how hard these guys are working and just how bad everyone wants to win, I'm fortunate to be a part of this thing. I just want to continue to build it, to continue for this thing to grow. The sky's the limit for this team, this organization. I can't wait to see how it all comes together.' At 34, Smith provides a veteran presence at sports' ultimate leadership position, and Kelly said he even has impacted how the coaches go about their business. 'He's just been emblematic of what a leader should be, by his habits and by the way he brings himself every day,' Carroll said. 'He's the first guy out here, he's the last guy to leave.' Meyers noted that time commitment as well. 'By having Geno, it kind of brings a sense of stability,' Meyers said. 'He knows what he's doing. He shows up the same every day, his personality stays the same every day. I haven't seen him have a bad day yet. So I can't have bad days if the leader has no bad days.' ___ AP NFL:
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Raiders OTAs: Geno Smith, Chip Kelly building rapport; Malcolm Koonce returns
HENDERSON, Nev. — Geno Smith and the Las Vegas Raiders have each had three different offensive coordinators in the last three seasons. It's something both are used to — Smith from bouncing around to different teams and the Raiders from undergoing a series of regime changes — but it has made it difficult to find consistency on offense. Advertisement The Raiders are hopeful they've found their pairing for the foreseeable future in Smith and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. They had a pre-existing relationship — Kelly attempted to recruit Smith to play at Oregon and coached his cousin Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State last season — but they've built a stronger rapport over the last few months. 'In many ways, it's a dream come true,' Smith said Thursday. 'I've revered coach Kelly, and I've always thought he's been an excellent coach throughout his career and a guy who I really wanted to play for, even back then when I was in high school. It didn't work out that way, but God works in mysterious ways, and here we are today in Las Vegas. Being with Chip, you get to know him as a man and know what he's about. He's an outstanding human being, but also has a great mind for football and understands how to motivate guys.' Outside of practices and meetings, Smith and Kelly have also spent plenty of time on the phone fine-tuning different aspects of the offense. 'Geno loves ball,' Kelly said Thursday. 'I really lean on him because of his wealth of experience. He's been through different coordinators in this league, and some really good ones. … I can pick his brain that way and then put together, 'What's the best thing for us going forward?'' 🔴 🎥 Live: Chip Kelly, Geno Smith, AJ Cole and Jakobi Meyers address the media from the Intermountain Health Performance Center. — Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) May 29, 2025 After failing to trade for Matthew Stafford earlier this offseason, the Raiders held meetings to chart their path forward at quarterback. Kelly was included alongside quarterbacks coach Greg Olson, coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady. Smith's arm talent, accuracy, mobility, leadership and intelligence all helped make him the consensus answer among the group. Advertisement The Raiders traded for Smith and signed him to a two-year extension. It's still early in the process, but things have gone smoothly as Smith and Kelly have acclimated to one another. 'Geno's literally like a second coach,' Kelly said. 'When you're in that room with him and Greg Olson, there's a lot of ideas going around. And then it's just a matter of corralling it. Because sometimes you can have too many ideas. Like, let's try to do a million things, and then you don't get good at one thing. But his football acumen is really off the charts, and it's impressive to be around him.' As for what the Raiders offense will look like, they want to remain amorphous to allow themselves to adjust to their opponent on any given week. There will be times when they go no-huddle and push the tempo, but they also want to be capable of slowing things down and churning the clock. The vision is for that same flexibility to apply to their personnel groupings. Kelly is best known for his success operating out of three-, four- and even five-wideout sets, but the Raiders also plan to use multi-tight end sets frequently. Kelly was a bit rigid in his past NFL stints, but the aim is to be different this time around. 'I think you always adapt to your personnel,' Kelly said. 'Part of the OTA process for us is getting to understand what the strengths of these players are. And then how do you play to their strengths?' Here are other observations from the Raiders' OTA practice Thursday. • Kelly also addressed the latest Raiders scandal: running back Ashton Jeanty changing his stance. The rookie typically stood up straight before the ball was snapped in college, but he has switched to a traditional stance with the Raiders. Jeanty said in an interview that Kelly suggested the change, but the coordinator said that isn't exactly accurate. Advertisement 'Deland McCullough — our running back coach — is in charge of stances, steps, alignments, assignments and techniques, so he talked to him about that,' Kelly said. ' … I haven't told anybody on this team to be in any stances because I don't coach the positions. But it's a bent-knee game. … In any sport you're playing, you've got to bend your knees. And if you've got to run a flat route on Fred Warner, you better be in a position to run because that dude can fly. … It literally is about three inches, so I really don't think it's that big of a difference. But (Jeanty's) awesome. And he's such a coachable guy that you can do a lot of things with him. He can play in the slot, he can play in the backfield, he can do a lot of different things. He's special.' • Defensive end Malcolm Koonce returned to practice Thursday. It's an important step in his recovery process from the torn ACL that caused him to miss all of last season. He was primarily limited to individual drills during practice, but that still represents notable progress. • Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins didn't practice Thursday as he continues to rehab from the Jones fracture he suffered last October. With only two weeks left in OTAs, it's unlikely he'll make an appearance before training camp. • Safety Jeremy Chinn and defensive tackle Adam Butler Jr. didn't practice Thursday due to undisclosed reasons. Carroll didn't speak to reporters Thursday, so we weren't able to ask about their absences. • Veteran safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. filled in for Chinn in his absence. The rest of the starting secondary remained unchanged — Isaiah Pola-Mao at free safety with Darien Porter and Eric Stokes at cornerback. Cornerback Jakorian Bennett is still working his way back into form after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last year. He has largely been working with the second-team defense, but he could still compete for a starting role. • The Raiders don't have a great answer at nickelback. In response, they've used five-man fronts more often during practice thus far. Defensive tackles Zach Carter, Jonah Laulu and Leki Fotu got most of the first-team snaps. When the Raiders do bring a slot defender on the field, it's typically a safety. For example, there were times when Johnson lined up at nickelback and Thomas Harper replaced him at safety on Thursday. Advertisement • Veteran linebackers Elandon Roberts and Devin White have been fixtures thus far. It's hard to judge run defense without pads, but they've both been solid in pass coverage. • Rookie Caleb Rogers rotated in behind Alex Cappa to get some first-team snaps at right guard. Dylan Parham and Jordan Meredith continue to go back and forth at left guard. Given that all OTA practices are padless, this competition really won't intensify until training camp. 'It's the most difficult because there are no pads,' Kelly said. 'It's (more about), 'How are they picking up schemes? How are they working together? Are they making the right calls? Are they identifying the defense in the proper manner so we're on the right people?' … They're doing a good job from that standpoint, but you still can't get a full evaluation of 'em.' • The Raiders are moving their receivers around a lot. Tre Tucker and Dont'e Thornton have mostly been locked in on the outside, but Jakobi Meyers and Jack Bech have lined up frequently at both outside and slot receiver. Tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer are also capable of lining up at slot and outside receiver, so Kelly should be able to get creative with his alignments this season. • Meyers is entering the final season of his contract and is coming off the best season of his career with 87 catches for 1,027 yards and four touchdowns. It'd make sense for the Raiders to extend him, but he could test free agency next offseason. 'I want to be here for sure, but that's all I can really say on it right now,' Meyers said Thursday when asked about a potential extension. 'That's business between us and the top floor, so I'ma just hold that one down for now.'
