New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith saw his role with the team greatly diminished after Ryan Fitzpatrick was re-signed, now he’s essentially trying out for every other NFL roster.
When Geno Smith was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft it seemed that the team had come away with a steal. Smith was regarded as a possible first round pick by many draft pundits and the Jets displayed impressive control and patience in waiting until the second round to nab him.
Two seasons of starting and a 11-18 record under his belt and the Jets were still willing to give him the chance to be the starter. And then he was injured by his own teammate and plans shifted.
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For some, the injury offered a chance to breathe a sigh of relief. Writing at the time, Spin Zone’s Robert Brewer called it a blessing in disguise. Declared out for about six weeks, that small time frame was enough for journeyman QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to usurp the starting job from him. Fitzpatrick, of course, led the Jets to a 10-6 record in the midst of a renaissance year at age 33.
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Now, recently re-signed, the starting gig is Fitzpatrick’s and it looks like the New York Jets may use the opportunity to move on from Geno Smith. Smith knows this and knows he has to impress in the coming season.
2016 could have been the fourth year for Smith to be a starter in New York, instead it has become a tryout as he seeks to appeal to teams that may be QB hungry in 2017 and beyond. Via ESPN, Smith said he knows that this training camp is a chance to audition and put his football skills on display for NFL teams. If Fitzpatrick continues his resurgence he may not get a chance to show what he can do in game situations.
With Fitzpatrick on board as well as young guns Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg it isn’t hard to think of Smith as the odd man out either this season or before the start of the next.
As NFL.com’s Conor Orr puts it, “To say Smith is pissed is probably the understatement of the century.” It is tough to take for any former starter to see his opportunities removed because a fellow teammate punched him in the mouth. It will be even worse if there are no opportunities after the Jets move on from him as well and if nobody comes calling.
Make no mistake, there is a market for younger quarterbacks with starting experience. There’s an even bigger market for those who are winners.
But there isn’t much of a market for quarterbacks with mediocre records under their belts. At least not as starters. Just ask Chad Henne. Henne’s rode out the last few years as the backup to Blake Bortles and Blaine Gabbert and even had a shot at being the starter for a short window. Some may say it’s a cushy job for the former Miami Dolphins “franchise QB.”
That isn’t what Smith wants, though. Hell, that may not be what any quarterback ever wants.
Yet it could be the future for Smith in a post-New York Jets world. At this point, especially if he gets zero reps in the season, it’s difficult to say that there will be much value in a QB with an 11-18 record and near-zero playing time in the last two seasons.
Someone may take a chance on Smith and I sincerely hope they do. He’s still got something left in the tank and, as mentioned before, there is value in former starters, but there may not be much. After years on the backburner, Smith may not be worth much.
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Keep an eye out through training camp to see what the Jets do with Smith and how he may rebound. Sometimes players like Smith can rebound and shock the league, which makes him an intriguing backup to keep tabs on.