Among all the offseason moves already made by Jets GM Darren Mougey, the free-agent signings and the trades (with the prospect of adding four potential starters in April’s draft), few have drawn more attention, analysis and comment than the trade with Las Vegas for quarterback Geno Smith. Of course there’s organizational history — the Green & White selected Smith in the second round (No. 39 overall) out of West Virginia in the 2013 NFL Draft — and then there’s the player’s long progression that has come full circle.
Smith’s journey back to 1 Jets Drive and Florham Park, NJ, has been a tale of perseverance, development and maturity that comes from experience, determination — and hard work.
“Those three years in Seattle [2022-24] , you look at the last year he was there he was 10-7 … you know he played winning football,” NFL.com analyst Brian Baldinger told team reporter Eric Allen on “The Official Jets Podcast.” “He led the league in completion percentage one year [67.8 in 2022 when he was the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year]. Was basically a 70 percent completion quarterback and he showed good mobility.”
Over his past four seasons, three with the Seahawks and a difficult last season with the Raiders, his 68.2% completion rate is fourth among qualified QBs. Smith’s 65.2% complete rate over his career would rank second in Jets franchise history behind Chad Pennington’s 65.6% rate.
It’s a simple coincidence that last season both the Jets and the Raiders finished with 3-14 records, but Vegas earned the No. 1 overall draft pick — expected to be Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza — on the strength of schedule tiebreaker, which rendered Smith and HC Pete Carroll (who helped Smith, who is now 35 years old, resurrect his career in Seattle) expendable. With the Jets in search of a “bridge” QB, Smith’s season in Sin City needs to be seen in perspective.
“I was out there a couple of times, he was the leader,” Baldinger said. “You know, he played really well last year [67.4% completion percentage, 3,025 passing yards, 19 TDs and 17 INTs]. I don’t know if any quarterback could have been successful. The offensive line fell apart [Smith was sacked a league-high 55 times]. Lost their left tackle, lost their left guard. They were a disaster.