GM says Raiders will be ‘open-minded’ about drafting a quarterback

The Raiders checked off the No. 1 item on their to-do list when they traded for veteran quarterback Geno Smith in March.

By reuniting Smith with new Raiders coach Pete Carroll, for whom he played four seasons with the Seahawks, the club stabilized the position for a few years.

But that doesn’t mean the Raiders don’t feel a need to add a quarterback in next week’s NFL draft. As general manager John Spytek said Friday during a predraft news conference, the Raiders will be “open-minded” about drafting a quarterback.

“Anybody that can help us at that position in particular is going to be up for consideration,” he said.

That’s consistent with their draft evaluation process, which included bringing in several high-profile quarterback prospects for personal visits. Among them were Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart and Ohio State’s Will Howard.

As Spytek indicated, there was a purpose behind those visits.

“You guys have all done your investigative journalism well enough to know that we brought some quarterbacks in, and that wasn’t by accident by any means,” he said. “We remain open to the most important position in sports to get right.”

Smith gives the Raiders a chance to win immediately. But he’s 34, so they need to also think about the future.

“We’re super excited to have Geno here, and we continue to expect him to be here for a while,” Spytek said. “But you can’t have too many of those guys.”

Who has the final say?

As Spytek and Carroll prepare for their first draft together, the question of who has the final say regarding picks becomes relevant.

This is Spytek’s first draft as a general manager. During Carroll’s 14 years with the Seahawks, it was understood he had decision-making powers.

Will that be the case with the Raiders?

From the sound of it, the two are hoping to find common ground to guide their decisions.

“We’re going to work that out. That’s all you have to know,” Carroll said. “We’re dedicated to doing that, and we will have consensus.”

The Raiders probably will move on to another player if the two can’t reach an agreement.

“The guys that we don’t have consensus on, we probably wouldn’t take them,” Spytek said. “They’re probably not right for the Raiders and for us.”

Building on that partnership has been an ongoing process since Spytek and Carroll were hired in January.

“It’s been an awesome experience so far. Lots of great communication, thoughts, sharing ideas and different perspectives,” Spytek said. “I pride myself on being an open-minded person. I’ve gotten to know the coach really well. He’s certainly an open-minded person.”

Not that they agree on everything. The key is the mutual respect they have developed and their shared objectives.

“There are no personal feelings in this or anything like that,” Spytek said. “We both have our thoughts and our experiences, but I think the cool thing is that we share a lot of things in common about what we’re looking for in players.”

No news on Kolton Miller

Miller, the Raiders’ veteran left offensive tackle, is not participating in the voluntary offseason workouts as he seeks a contract extension. He’s owed a nonguaranteed $12.2 million salary for 2025 and is scheduled to become a free agent after the season.

Spytek declined to comment on whether the sides are in negotiations.

“We’re not going to discuss contracts publicly,” he said. “And this is certainly a voluntary part of the offseason program, so guys are free to come and go as they please.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.