The Las Vegas Raiders have announced they will be releasing QB Geno Smith. The move opens up $8 million in cap space, while opening the door for the Raiders to draft and start Fernando Mendoza.

This year’s free agent quarterback class is very thin, so Smith will have a market this offseason. There are plenty of teams out there that would love to add a veteran quarterback, so I ranked the top-five landing spots for Smith in free agency.

5. Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are the best destination for any free agent quarterback because they have the best chance to win right away, but I’m not sure it would be the best for Geno Smith. If the Vikings bring in a veteran, it’s going to be to compete with J.J. McCarthy, and f Smith doesn’t improve drastically from last season, he won’t win that battle.

And for that reason, I don’t think the Vikings will have any interest in bringing him in. I think they want someone like Kyler Murray who can come in and actually win that battle. But you have to put Minnesota in the conversation, because it is such a great spot for a FA quarterback.

4. Cleveland Browns

The next four teams are places I think he could go and actually start in 2026. Starting with the Cleveland Browns, they’re No. 4 because it is easily the worst spot for a quarterback this offseason. Outside of Harold Fannin, there really aren’t any offensive weapons, and the offensive line isn’t very good. We saw what Smith looked like in Vegas without many weapons, so imagine what he’d look like in Cleveland…Probably not a whole lot better.

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3. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are in the Malik Willis sweepstakes, but if they swing and miss, they could turn to a veteran like Smith. I don’t think Miami is a great spot for a free agent quarterback, though. They got rid of offensive guru Mike McDaniel in favor of a defensive head coach in Jeff Hafley, but they also don’t have great weapons.

Jaylen Waddle’s solid, and De’Von Achane is one of the best backs in the league, but outside of them, who do they have? Nobody really. It would be better than Cleveland, but not much.

2. New York Jets

The New York Jets have expressed a lot of interest in bringing in a veteran quarterback this offseason. With Dante Moore returning to school, there aren’t any quarterback prospects worthy of the second overall pick, so it feels like they’ll be very active in the free agent QB market. It doesn’t seem like they’re going to get Malik Willis, so they’re likely going to have to turn to a veteran guy like Smith.

Even though the Jets are known as a QB graveyard, I don’t think this would be an awful spot for Smith. He’d have an elite receiver in Garrett Wilson, plus some promising talents in AD Mitchell and Mason Taylor. The Jets also have a solid offensive line, especially at tackle. And you can’t forget about Breece Hall and his receiving ability.

The Jets feel like the most likely landing spot for Smith, but there is one that I think would be better for him.

1. Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals seem to be the favorites to land Malik Willis, but if they don’t, they will absolutely be in the market for a veteran quarterback. A huge plus for Arizona is the hiring of head coach Mike LaFleur, who comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree. Furthermore, the Cardinals boast an impressive collection of offensive weapons.

Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Trey Benson are a really solid core, and I expect them to invest heavily into their offensive line this offseason. They are the best spot for a quarterback outside of Minnesota, and we talked about why I don’t think the Vikings are a great fit for Smith, so Arizona moves to No. 1.