It’s very, very important that we see the Las Vegas Raiders put as many weapons around former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith as possible. He had the weapons in Seattle, but he never really had the offensive line.
So far, he has a better offensive line than he had at his previous stop, but not as good as it needs to be. And as for the weapons, well, he has the best tight end in the league, and possible a running back in Ashton Jeanty to pair with Jakobi Meyers and whoever else they draft in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Raiders need as many weapons around Smith as they can get, and they have already began the start of that process by adding a new offensive player through free agency. Now, he’s not going to be a top player at his position, or anything crazy like that. But, he will provide depth, and another set of hands for Smith to throw the ball to.
And while it’s a signing that is flying under the radar, it may be one that ends up being very good for the Raiders in 2025.
Raiders sign TE Ian Thomas
On Tuesday, the Raiders signed Ian Thomas, a tight end with some experience to provide depth for a team that dealt with way too many injuries last season.
Thomas is 6-foot-4, weighs about 260 pounds, and is known for his ability to catch passes and block. Now, his game isn’t perfect, in fact, he does have his flaws as he may be the TE3 behind Brock Bowers and Michaelo mayer, if Mayer isn’t traded. But, he does have some things the Raiders value and could greatly use.
He spent seven seasons with the Carolina Panthers, playing in 99 games and starting 54. During that time, he had 119 catches for 1,062 yards and four touchdowns. His best year was his rookie season in 2018, with 36 receptions for 333 yards and two touchdowns. After that, his stats dropped, and he became more of a blocker than a receiver. And it doesn’t help that the Panthers have just been a very, very bad team.
Now 29, Thomas joins the Raiders after a tough 2024 season with the Panthers, where he dealt with a calf injury and a reduced role. He’s likely to help the Raiders more as a blocker than a pass-catcher. But, who knows what we see?
