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Never thought in a million years that Geno Smith would ever be back with the New York Jets.
But then again, I never thought they would bring in a GM they fired to help them find a new GM (and coach).
So you never say never
This Smith trade is almost like a couple that was married or dating for a long time, broke up due to irreconcilable differences, and then as time passed, a few years later, they get back together.
That often doesn’t work out.
Why?
Because the same issues that ended the relationship the first time rear their head again.
Perhaps that won’t happen here, but that is usually how these scenarios play out.
My first reaction to the announcement was that it was a very smart move, but not for the reason you would think.
I as thinking it was a great move because you are getting a #2 QB, with 98 career starts, for reportedly around $1.3 million this year.
We all know how important it is to have a quality backup, and so often the backups don’t have a lot of starting experience. To get a quality #2, with so much starting experience, for a sixth-round pick and such a low salary. Great move. What an insurance policy!
How often do you get backups with 98 games of starting experience for such a low salary?
Tommy DeVito just got a two-year deal for $7.4 million from New England, and he was the #3 last year.
But not sure the plan is for Smith to be the backup.
The preeminent Jets insider, Connor Hughes, made the following announcement today on X:
“Sources: Now that the #Jets have their starter (Geno Smith), they will turn their attention to the No. 2 job.”
Why would be Smith be anointed as the starter immediately?
He is 42-56 as an NFL starter.
But then again, they anointed a QB with a 14-30 record as the starter in the spring last year without a competition, so based on historical precedent, this might happen again in 2026.
Wentz is 49-49-1.
If they sign him, why would he not be allowed to compete for the job?
But it doesn’t sound like he would, based on Hughes’ announcement.
Aaron Glenn learned a lot from his tough first year as Jets coach, we will see if he learned to put away the anointing oil at QB and allow a competition.
One thing that will help Smith this time around, coming back to the New York market, which was tough on him the first time around, is that it’s not that tough anymore. He had quite a few tete-a-tetes during his first stint. Not likely this time.
However, the fans might not have changed.
They turned on Smith the first time, and if things start going poorly this time around, they could turn on him fast.
Doubt he’s going to get a lot of leeway.
Like with Brady Cook last year.
Not comparing Smith to Cook as QBs, just saying, with a new guy like Cook, a shiny new toy, they didn’t turn on him on much, even with his struggles.
But with Smith, if he starts to struggle, fans’ minds will go back to his first time around, which didn’t end well, and fans will probably pick up where they left off in 2015.
These fans who are praising the move now, just watch how first they will turn on Smith if he’s as inconsistent as he was the first time around.
And this idea that the Jets are looking at 2027 for a QB because that is supposedly a great QB draft, that is just a dumb narrative. We have heard this before with things like “Tank for Tua” and “Suck for Sam” and how’d that stuff work out for the first teams that drafted those two QBs?
We have no idea how all these QBs from this supposedly great 2027 QB draft will play next college season.
And also, the Jets have missed the playoffs for 15 years in a row. How on earth can anybody justify extending that streak to 16 to pick a QB next year?
“The goal every year is to win the Super Bowl, not just to get to the playoffs, not just to win a few games,” Hall of Fame receiver Calvin Johnson once said.
Not saying Glenn is on the hot-seat entering next year, that isn’t something fans and reporters can determine. With the Jets, that would be up to Woody, Ira and Hymie, and reading the tea leaves, you don’t sense this coach is on the hot-seat with these guys.
Plus, based on all the spending they just did in free agency, they clearly are trying to win this year.
They think they can do that with Geno Smith.
We shall see if that works out.
March 11, 2026
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