The New York Jets entered the offseason with a big need at the quarterback position and all across the defensive side of the ball.
While Day 1 of free agency was about defense, the second day, the Jets made their move for a quarterback, trading a 2026 sixth-rounder to the Las Vegas Raiders for Geno Smith and a 2026 seventh-rounder. It's a small trade, but one not loved by one analyst.
According to ESPN's Seth Walder, this trade was a massive mistake. He gave the Jets a "D" grade for the Smith trade, and explained why by ripping into the Jets' "illogical strategy" they've employed this offseason.
Jets ripped for 'illogical' Geno Smith trade
"Instead, they're rolling out Smith, sticking with the illogical strategy they employed Monday of signing late-career veterans (Demario Davis and David Onyemata) to a team without playoff aspirations," Walder writes.
Part of why Walder is ripping into the Jets so hard for this Smith addition is that he wishes they had landed a more high-upside, long-term possible solution at the quarterback position.
Malik Willis, Kyler Murray, Spencer Rattler, Tanner McKee, or Mac Jones would've been options that better fit what Walder wanted the Jets to do.
Instead, they're landing Smith as a veteran stop-gap with little long-term developmental upside. Smith is 35 years old and might have already hit his peak.
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The overarching point from Walder's perspective is that the Jets trading for Smith, even with such a cheap cost of a late-round pick swap, is a "wasted opportunity" if Smith is the starter.
With Smith expected to be the starter, the Jets have passed on the chance to take a true flier at the QB position for a season.
The Jets aren't a playoff team, so signing or trading for a younger, higher-upside quarterback might've been the better option for this Jets team.
But the Jets are sticking with Smith, and for Walder, it's a massive mistake. He is not a fan of this trade at all, as Smith, coming off a rough season for the Raiders, is not the kind of starter he was hoping the Jets would add at quarterback this offseason.
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