Raiders impressed by Geno: 'His football acumen is really off the charts'
Las Vegas Raiders coaches and players are already impressed with quarterback Geno Smith as he begins his first offseason program with the team.
"Geno is literally like a second coach," Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said, according to ESPN's Ryan McFadden.
He added, "His football acumen is really off the charts, and it's impressive to be around him."
Meanwhile, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers compared Smith to former teammate Tom Brady in terms of his consistency and preparedness.
"I truly mean that," Meyers said. "He knows what he is doing, (and) he shows up the same every day. I haven't seen him have a bad day."
Las Vegas acquired Smith from the Seattle Seahawks in March for a third-round pick in this year's draft. The franchise then signed him to a two-year, $75-million extension.
The Raiders transformed dramatically this offseason, both on and off the field. That included new head coach Pete Carroll hiring Kelly as OC fresh off winning a national championship with Ohio State.
Smith called being coached by Kelly a "dream come true," while Las Vegas' play-caller expressed admiration for how his 34-year-old quarterback has handled his NFL journey.
"There's not a lot of guys that have shown that resiliency," Kelly said. "He can be so relatable to everybody, because he's kind of lived that life. He's been a high draft pick, (but) he's also been a guy that has been told that a team doesn't want him.
"The fact that he's done it and come out to be the way he is now is a testament to him. He's special."
Smith was selected to the Pro Bowl twice with Seattle, his fourth NFL team, and was named the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year.
He's set to be the Raiders' fourth different Week 1 starting QB over the last four years.