Geno Smith, Jets
Getty
New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith reacting in the middle of an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills.
The New York Jets have not made any declarative statements about Geno Smith being the QB1.
However, ESPN’s Rich Cimini has heard that behind the scenes.
“Geno is the guy. I’ve talked to some other agents who represent backup quarterbacks — obviously, they have to bring in a backup at some point. They were told that Geno is the guy. Now, I’m sure Geno was told, ‘Look, there’s a chance we may draft someone.’ So I think he is totally prepared for that, but right now, even though no one has said it publicly, they have said it to other agents, and they have said it privately, Geno Smith will go into the season as the QB1,” Cimini explained on the new “Jets Collective” podcast.
An Important Note
That may partly explain why the Jets haven’t signed a true QB2 yet this offseason.
If agents of backup quarterbacks are being told that if they come here, they won’t have a chance to compete for a starting job, I imagine folks aren’t rushing to sign on the dotted line.
For example, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco re-signed with the Cincinnati Bengals on a one-year deal. He told the local media that if he had it his way, he would have joined a team where he had a chance to compete this offseason.
That obviously isn’t going to happen in Cincinnati with Joe Burrow on the roster.
“Believe me, I wish I was a guy somewhere,” Flacco, 41, said Wednesday via ESPN’s Ben Baby. “And I think teams are dumb for not having me be that guy … Not being one of those guys to go sign somewhere, yeah, it pisses me off a little bit. But at the same time, I’m very happy to be here.”
NFL teams didn’t view him as a starter or even as someone who should be competing for one of those jobs. That must have included the Jets.
What that means is the green and white will likely have to be patient, waiting until after the 2026 NFL draft to fill that spot.
After the rest of the QB dominoes fall and the draft plays out, the quarterback landscape should become much clearer.
Criticisms Could Be Coming Back
Last offseason, the Jets identified their QB and signed him. That was Justin Fields. Shortly after inking him to a $40 million contract, they crowned him the QB1.
That was met with some criticism online. Some fans and media thought the Jets should have made Fields earn the job and compete for it, just like everyone else on the roster.
Now it appears this regime may be repeating history.
While the situations are the same on paper, there is at least one pretty significant difference. Fields, who was 26 at the time, had 44 career starts. Smith, 35, has more than double the experience (98 starts).
If you were going to gift wrap a starting job, one of the two quarterbacks would have seemed to earn that respect over the other.
However, to play devil’s advocate, Smith is coming off a rough year. He led the league in interceptions (17) and was the most sacked QB in the NFL (55).
Was that a QB in a bad situation or a sign of decline? If you made him compete for the starting job to find out, that would be totally understandable.