The New York Jets had a lot of tasks they needed to complete this offseason, with the overhauled defense being one of the major ones. They've addressed that with a series of big moves at the start of the league year.
But the Jets aren't done. They also landed their starting quarterback, trading for Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders for a late-round pick swap.
And, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network shared, Smith is ready to reunite with his former team. He called his reunion a "full circle" moment, and is excited to return to New York and play for the Jets after over a decade since he last played for them.
Geno Smith excited to reunite with Jets amid Raiders trade
"Complete full circle moment back to where it all began," Smith said in a text to Rapoport. "I'm excited to connect with my new teammates and coaches and everyone in the building, as well as build a new relationship with the fan base and community."
Smith was drafted by the Jets 39th overall in the second-round of the 2013 NFL Draft. His last season with the Jets came in 2016.
A decade later, he's now returning to the Jets to be their starting quarterback. And since their split, a lot has changed for Smith.
He went to the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Chargers for a year each, and then found his way to the Seattle Seahawks in 2020 and went 4-for-5 for 33 yards in his lone outing.
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But, from 2021 through 2024, Smith started 52 games, made two Pro Bowls, had a completion percentage of 68.5%, threw for 12,928 yards and 76 touchdowns with 36 interceptions.
After a rough 19-TD, 17-INT season for the Raiders, Smith was going to have Fernando Mendoza take his place, so the Jets instead traded for him, moving back only 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft to land the QB on a very cheap contract.
It's a fun reunion for the Jets and for Smith, and one that the 35-year-old quarterback is excited about. It's a "full circle" moment for Smith, who's had a wild career since his last stint with the Jets.
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