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Fansided

5 players the New York Jets gave up on way too soon

By Sayre Bedinger

OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 01: Quarterback Geno Smith #7 of the New York Jets rolls out against the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum on November 1, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images for New York Jets)
OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 01: Quarterback Geno Smith #7 of the New York Jets rolls out against the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum on November 1, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images for New York Jets) /
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The New York Jets haven’t exactly been a model for anyone to follow in recent NFL history. This is a team that has been trying to get back on track for a really long time, and with the trajectory they showed they were on last season combined with the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers, I think there’s reason to believe they are undoubtedly back on track.

But a lengthy history of poor decisions from the front office to the coaching staff and on down to player personnel has caused the Jets to hold the NFL’s longest active playoff drought. They have the eighth-worst record in the league since 2000 and giving up on players before they should have has been part of the problem.

Although there are many different examples, let’s look at five players, in particular, the New York Jets gave up on way too soon.

5 players the New York Jets gave up on way too early

New York Jets
Nov 22, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) warms up prior to a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Houston won 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Geno Smith, Quarterback

Yes, Geno Smith had just one really good year for the Seattle Seahawks in 2022. The New York Jets had to live with some truly tough years from Smith back when he was originally drafted by them in 2013 out of West Virginia. Smith fell to the second round of that year’s draft somewhat inexplicably considering it was a weak quarterback class to begin with.

Geno came into the NFL and started right away for the Jets, throwing a whopping 34 interceptions and fumbling the ball 16 times in his first 30 NFL games (29 starts). It’s justifiable in that regard that the New York Jets moved on from him, especially when you consider the fact that they won 10 games in 2015 when Todd Bowles took over for Rex Ryan as the team’s head coach.

Yes, Geno Smith struggled a lot as a young quarterback. Yes, the New York Jets kept him through his rookie contract. But it was clear after his second NFL season that the Jets — and pretty much everyone else — had written off Geno as anything other than a potential quality backup. The Seattle Seahawks gave him an opportunity this past year and he won NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

We’ll see what he does as a follow-up act in 2023, but for the time being, it looks like Geno Smith is another one that got away for the Jets. At least the Jets can say they drafted a Pro Bowl QB.

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