Geno Smith - Pro Football Rumors

QB Geno Smith To Visit Giants

March 11th, 2017 at 10:11am CST by Ben Levine

Geno Smith is believed to be meeting with the Giants today, reports Art Stapleton of USA Today (via Twitter). This is the first reported visit for the free agent quarterback.

For the second straight season, Smith played sparingly behind starter Ryan Fitzpatrick. Since the start of the 2015 season, the former second-rounder has appeared in only three games, completing 62-percent of his passes for 391 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions.

His last full season as a starter came in 2014. He led the Jets to a 3-10 record in 13 starts (14 games), completing 59.7-percent of his passes for 2,525 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. The speedy signal-caller added another 238 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

Eli Manning is the lone quarterback on the Giants current roster, as both Josh Johnson and Ryan Nassib are unrestricted free agents.

We graded Smith as the 14th-best available quarterback in our free agent positional rankings.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Offense

March 6th, 2017 at 11:00pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL free agency is right around the corner! The legal tampering period starts on Tuesday and free agency officially starts on Thursday. The list of available free agents will change between now and then as players re-sign with teams or get cut loose, but we have a pretty good idea of who will be available right now. After looking at the top defensive players, we now shift our attention to the other side of the ball.

Here are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each position. The rankings aren’t determined by earning power, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with a combination of short- and long-term value taken into account. You won’t find restricted free agents or franchise tagged guys here since they are unlikely to go leave their current clubs.

Player evaluation is always subjective, so we encourage you to make your voices heard in the comments section in cases where you disagree with us.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Updated 3-7-2017, 2:55pm CT

Quarterback:

Honorable mention: Ryan Nassib, Landry Jones, Shaun Hill

Colin Kaepernick’s agents have (wisely) let everyone know that their client will stand for the National Anthem in 2017. That may seem like a minor point, but teams say they would have automatically removed him from consideration if he continued his attention-grabbing protest. He grabbed headlines for his actions on the sidelines last year, but he actually turned in an OK season. From a football standpoint, Kaepernick would make sense for a lot of teams as a QB2 with upside.

Interestingly, this list includes three quarterbacks who couldn’t cut it as the Jets’ starter and three rejects from the 49ers. They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure and all six of those players (Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kaepernick, Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert) come with varying degrees of potential and proven effectiveness. Smith, somehow, could reportedly be retained by the Jets and installed as the starter in 2017.

Ryan Nassib is just outside of the top 15 here with EJ Manuel getting the final spot. Despite positive word about his play in practice, Nassib is unproven and the Giants’ apparent lack of interest in re-signing him says a lot. It’s also possible that he might not be 100% after ending the 2016 season on IR with an elbow injury. Manuel, for all his warts, has shown potential in small bursts.

Running back:

Honorable mention: Robert Turbin, Travaris Cadet, Benny Cunningham, Lance Dunbar, Bobby Rainey, Brandon Bolden, Denard Robinson, James Starks

As expected, the Vikings have cut Adrian Peterson loose and he is expected to garner interest from contending clubs this week. Some might peg Peterson as the most talented running back in this year’s free agent class, but it all comes down to how you weigh his age and injury history. Peterson has shocked the football world in the past with an incredible comeback, but I’m a little skeptical of his ability to do it again in his age-32 season. Eddie Lacy, who has injury question marks of his own, takes the top spot at the position.

The Patriots believe they won’t be able to match the offers that come in LeGarrette Blount‘s direction. Latavius Murray could circle back to the Raiders, but he won’t be agreeing to a deal with them before free agency opens on Thursday.

Jamaal Charles has the most impressive resume of anyone on this list, with the exception of Peterson. However, no one knows exactly what he can do after playing eight games in the last two years. He’ll turn 31 in December and that’s usually not an indicator of success for running backs.

Fullback:

Kyle Juszczyk graded out as the best fullback in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. The Ravens would be wise to keep him, but if they don’t, he’ll draw interest from teams all over the league. Juszczyk earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as he caught 37 passes for 266 yards. His exceptional 92.1 pass blocking score from PFF led all other fullbacks by a wide margin.

Mike Tolbert is ranked lower than you might expect due to his age and diminished blocking skills. He’ll turn 32 in November and it’s not guaranteed that he’ll find another job after getting released by the Panthers, though the Jets are said to have interest in him. Gang Green could also look into signing Patrick DiMarco and Marcel Reece. If you ask me, they should target DiMarco if they want to truly emphasize the running game. DiMarco finished the year with the best run blocking score in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

Wide receiver:

Honorable mention: Brian Quick, Brandon LaFell, Anquan Boldin, Ted Ginn, Vincent Jackson

Brandon Marshall, welcome to the free agent pool. Marshall is just two years removed from a year in which he had 109 catches, 1,502 yards, and 14 touchdowns. However, his numbers dipped significantly last season as the entire Jets offense slumped. The veteran will get tons of interest this week and his suitors may include the Giants, Patriots, and Ravens.

Kenny Britt managed to put up big numbers in the midst of the Rams’ offensive quagmire last season. He now hits free agency at a great time and the WR-needy Eagles are the latest team to be connected to him. The South Jersey contingent of the Eagles fanbase will appreciate the homecoming of the Rutgers product. At the same time, they should hope he exhibits a better attitude than he did on the banks of the old Raritan.

The talent is definitely there with Markus Wheaton and the team that takes a chance on him could wind up very, very happy. Robert Woods, historically, thrived in games where Sammy Watkins was unavailable or limited. Woods doesn’t turn 25 in until April and there’s a case to be made that he should be higher on this list. Cordarrelle Patterson has turned out to be a very capable returner, but there are definitely ambitious coaches out there who think they can still mold him into a great receiver. Michael Floyd is now years removed from his best work in Arizona, so one has to wonder what he can contribute even if he has turned over a new leaf.

Victor Cruz is an exceptionally hard-worker and a team-first kind of guy. He’ll be a great addition to any locker room, but it’s anyone’s guess as to what he’ll do in 2017. We’ll say this: a return to the slot would greatly benefit him.

Anquan Boldin just missed the top 15 and I don’t necessarily feel great about it. Brian Quick also missed the cut and it was a toss-up between him and Cruz for that last spot.

Tight end:

Honorable mention: Larry Donnell

Martellus Bennett is eager to cash in this month. There’s a “real possibility” he winds up elsewhere and he’ll get a monster deal if that happens. The Raiders and Jaguars are expected to be among the teams in pursuit. Filling in for Rob Gronkowski, Bennett caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016. You can never tell what the Patriots are thinking, but it sure feels like he’ll be leaving New England.

In his first season with the Packers, Jared Cook appeared in ten regular season games and caught 30 of 51 targets for 377 yards and a touchdown. In the Packers’ two-game playoff run, he really turned it on with a total of 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores. Cook will be a priority for the Packers to re-sign, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll get a deal done between now and March 9.

Anthony Fasano finds himself ranked higher than some bigger names due to his blocking ability. PFF gave Fasano an 88.1 score for run blocking, which was the best of any tight end last year. His 72.9 pass blocking score was fourth-best among TEs. The Titans will make a real effort to keep him.

Offensive tackle:

Andrew Whitworth spent some time at guard last season but his best (and most profitable) position is on the outside. He’s 35, so he won’t lead all FA tackles in total money this year despite being our top-ranked free at the position.

That mantle, by all indications, will belong to Ricky Wagner who could reportedly fetch around $10MM/year. The former fifth-round pick put it all together this past season in Baltimore and he won’t turn 28 until October.

Russell Okung was thrust into the free agent market in February when the Broncos declined his option. This time around, it will be interesting to see whether he hires an agent. His previous deal was effectively a one-year pact with a club option for a four-year, $48MM deal with $20.5MM in guaranteed cash. After a so-so year, the Broncos wisely turned it down.

Austin Pasztor is listed as a tackle here, though it’s quite possible he reverts to the interior line in 2017. Mike Adams, a former second-round pick, makes the cut for his natural talent, even though he hasn’t shown much at the professional level. Will Beatty also found his way to the Top 15, but his market will be capped after two injury-ridden years.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Honorable mention: D.J. Fluker, A.Q. Shipley (C), Brian Schwenke (C)

Kevin Zeitler was the only offensive lineman to crack our Top 50 Free Agents list last week. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. After three consecutive strong seasons, he is going to get big bucks.

Ronald Leary, who once pushed for the Cowboys to trade him, recognizes that a return probably isn’t in the cards. The Cowboys will go with La’el Collins in 2017 and beyond, but don’t cry for Leary. After making 12 starts in Collins’ place and ranking No. 25 among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards, Leary will find an eager market this week.

J.C. Tretter graded out as a top 10 center last year, according to PFF, and he just turned 26. Stefen Wisniewski offers experience at both guard and center and there should be at least a few teams looking at him as a potential starter.

Nick Mangold‘s injury woes are holding him back here. Apparently, some teams are asking him to play guard.

Jets Rumors: Smith, Okung, Jefferson

March 6th, 2017 at 9:37am CST by Zachary Links

The bidding for Mike Glennon could get out of hand, so we shouldn’t completely rule out the possibility that Geno Smith is brought back and installed as the team’s starting quarterback in 2017, a team source tells SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano. Of course, that will all depend on his recovery from ACL surgery, his desire to stay in New York, and whether the Jets are able to land a more attractive option. Even though he was selected by the previous regime, Vacchiano hears that coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan “don’t hate him.”

Here’s more on Gang Green:

The Jets are going to be in on the market for left tackle Russell Okung, a league source tells Vacchiano. He adds that the Jets may also target Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson but refers to Okung as the Jets’ biggest non-QB target. Personally, we don’t agree with the assessment that Okung is a more ambitious pursuit than the Cardinals safety. On our first edition of the Top 50 Free Agents list, we ranked Jefferson No. 8 in terms of earning power while Okung was all the way down at No. 43.
The Jets are expected to tender restricted free agent center Wesley Johnson, a source tells Vacchiano. The SNY scribe says he “seems like a candidate” for the second-round tender.
The Jets are putting an emphasis on the run game and have plans to add a fullback in free agency this year, a source tells Connor Hughes of NJ.com. The Jets haven’t ruled out signing former Pro Bowlers Mike Tolbert or Marcel Reece and the Falcons’ Patrick DiMarco is also an option, Hughes hears. We have DiMarco ranked as the third-best fullback on the free agent market, behind Kyle Juszczyk and James Develin. Tolbert is all the way down at No. 7 because of his age and diminished blocking skills

AFC East Notes: Garoppolo, McCoy, Jets

February 26th, 2017 at 11:36am CST by Rory Parks

Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will continue to be one of the most-discussed players this offseason until he’s either traded or New England officially decides to keep him, and Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com expects Garoppolo rumors to heat up even more this week. For the first time this offseason, the entire NFL will be in the same place at the NFL combine, which begins Wednesday, and as Hannble writes, the foundation for a future trade is often laid at the combine. While it is highly unlikely a trade will be consummated this week, we could start to get more of an idea of which teams are truly interested in trading for Garoppolo and what the Pats might realistically seek in return.

Now for more out of the AFC East:

Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes receiver Michael Floyd could return to the Patriots, who claimed him off waivers in mid-December, but despite Floyd’s tantalizing physical ability, Reiss does not think New England will get into a competitive situation to retain him. Floyd will likely be suspended for at least two games as a result of his recent DUI, and he struggled to get on the same page with Tom Brady during his brief tenure in New England. He was a healthy scratch in Super Bowl LI.
LeSean McCoy set off alarm bells in Buffalo this morning — probably unintentionally — with an Instagram post that said “Buffalo was so special … thanks for everything.” Multiple sources later clarified that the Bills running back simply meant that he appreciated his time at an autograph signing in Buffalo on Saturday, and that he was heading back home. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk speculates that McCoy could still be cut, as his running style may not mesh with new OC Rick Dennison‘s one-cut zone scheme. Buffalo would save only $1MM against the cap by releasing him this year, but they could create more savings and spread out the dead money hit of $7.875MM if they designate him a post-June 1 release.
Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes that the Jets now have the leverage in contract talks with Darrelle Revis, as Revis’ poor 2016 season and his pending criminal charges have forced the longtime star to admit that he is willing to take a pay cut to remain in New York. But Cimini writes that the team may simply look to release Revis, regardless of how much of a discount he is willing to accept.
In the same piece, Cimini writes that Geno Smith‘s leaving the Jets in free agency is not the sure thing that many assume, as Smith fits the description of a low-cost veteran signal-caller with starting experience that New York may be looking for, and a recent cryptic tweet from Smith has fueled speculation that he could be back. However, Cimini still believes the two sides will part ways in 2017.
Wesley Johnson is expected to take over as the Jets‘ starting center following the release of Nick Mangold, but Darryl Slater of NJ.com suggests a few alternatives. Slater names Joe Hawley and Stefen Wisniewski as potential free agent targets and Ethan Pocic, who is regarded as one of the best centers in the draft, as a potential rookie replacement.
Now that the Dolphins addressed their tight end position with the acquisition of Julius Thomas — though the team is still interested in bringing back Dion Sims, who is a much better blocker than Thomas — James Walker of ESPN.com looks at Miami’s remaining needs. In Walker’s view, the Dolphins now need to turn their attention to reinforcements at linebacker, guard, and defensive end.miami

Top 2017 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Zachary Links

[UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST EDITION OF THE TOP 2017 NFL FREE AGENTS BY POSITION]

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Quarterback:

Honorable mention: Shaun Hill

As of this writing, Kirk Cousins is far and away the best potential free agent quarterback in this year’s crop. By the time March gets here, we’re fully expecting Cousins to be spoken for. Ultimately, the Redskins could franchise tag him, work out a long-term deal with him, or swing some type of trade that nets them a massive haul of talent and picks. That will leave a crop of retread quarterbacks that would probably best serve as transitional options for QB-needy teams.

Mike Glennon hasn’t done much in his 18 career starts, but talent evaluators are still in love with his size and potential. The 6’7″ quarterback will get more money this spring than you might expect, particularly since there are no surefire QBs in this year’s draft.

Teams looking for stopgap QBs will find a plethora of experienced, though perhaps uninspiring, signal callers. Nick Foles, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick all have their best football behind them, but they could hold down the fort for a team in 2017 and maybe even find some success if the defense is strong enough. Of course, the ideal role for those guys would probably be as a backup to a better, younger quarterback.

Running back:

Consider Le’Veon Bell‘s name written in Etch-A-Sketch, because he is very unlikely to get near the open market. That could leave Eddie Lacy as the best tailback available in March. Lacy has struggled with weight issues in recent years and he lost much of the 2016 season to injury. Still, he is a bruising back that could nicely complement a quicker ball carrier. Before he was shut down for the year, Lacy was averaging 5.07 yards per carry in five games for Green Bay.

In the last two years, LeGarrette Blount seems to have put his off-the-field troubles behind him. Whether that’s a sign of his maturity or a product of the Patriots’ culture remains to be seen. Teams can ignore his past indiscretions, but they will be wary of his age. Blount turns 31 in December.

Latavius Murray has shown glimpses of being a special running back, but he has been inconsistent and his 4.0 yards-per-carry average of the last two years isn’t overly impressive. Darren McFadden ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2015, but 2016 was pretty much a lost year for him. Jacquizz Rodgers seemed to break out last year, but he wound up succumbing to the same injury bug that took down a host of other Buccaneers running backs. Speaking of injuries, Rashad Jennings was initially brought to the Giants to be a workhorse back, but two of his three years in New York were marred by ailments. Everyone in this tier has the potential to make a difference, but none should be counted on as anyone’s main guy in 2017.

Fullback:

Kyle Juszczyk graded out as the best fullback in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. The Ravens would be wise to keep him, but if they don’t, he’ll draw interest from teams all over the league. Juszczyk earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as he caught 37 passes for 266 yards. His exceptional 92.1 pass blocking score from PFF led all other fullbacks by a wide margin.

Mike Tolbert is ranked lower than you might expect due to his age and diminished blocking skills. He’ll turn 32 in November and it’s not a given that he’ll find another NFL home after getting released by the Panthers.

Wide receiver:

Alshon Jeffery has had two down years (by his standards) but he is still the cream of the wide receiver crop. His weak production and PED suspension in 2016 probably killed his chances of getting Dez Bryant-money, but he could still get a multi-year deal with a nice amount of guaranteed cash given the dearth of WR1 types available. Jeffery hasn’t set the world on fire lately, but plenty of GMs will chalk that up to the Bears’ quarterback situation.

Few saw Terrelle Pryor‘s standout season coming. The former Buckeyes quarterback now stands as one of the best pending free agent receivers out there. We would be surprised if the Browns allow him to reach the open market, but if he does get there, he’ll get money thrown at him by teams looking for a No. 2 wide receiver.

The Dolphins can replace Kenny Stills in-house and they need to save their dollars for Jarvis Landry‘s next deal, so we envision Stills testing the open waters. Despite his age, Pierre Garcon could reportedly garner $9MM+ per year on his next pact. Because of his maddening inconsistency, we have slotted Garcon one spot ahead of teammate DeSean Jackson. There’s also this: Jackson can break a game wide open with his blazing speed, but speed doesn’t usually age well. Jackson, who reportedly wants to return to the Eagles, turns 31 in December.

Each player ranked No. 6 through No. 9 here offers potential and question marks in equal measure. Those around Kenny Britt have been questioning his work ethic and attitude since his Rutgers days, but his talent is undeniable. Markus Wheaton appeared destined for big things as the Steelers No. 2 wide receiver last year before an early season shoulder injury landed him on IR. Cordarrelle Patterson has all the physical tools to succeed and he put himself on the map last year as a kick returner. Will some team out there sign him to a multi-year pact and try to mold him into a receiver? Michael Floyd‘s rocky year ended with a Super Bowl ring, though he was not on the active roster in Houston. Floyd will be looking for a one-year, prove-it deal and there will be teams curious to see if he can reprise his 2013 season.

Tight end:

Martellus Bennett sounds like a man who is eager to cash in on the open market. There’s a “real possibility” he winds up elsewhere, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, and he’ll get a monster deal if that happens. Filling in for Rob Gronkowski, Bennett caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016.

In his first season with the Packers, Jared Cook appeared in ten regular season games and caught 30 of 51 targets for 377 yards and a touchdown. In the Packers’ two-game playoff run, he really turned it on with a total of 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores. Cook will be a priority for the Packers to re-sign, but it’s not clear if they’ll get a deal done between now and March 9.

Anthony Fasano finds himself ranked higher than some bigger names due to his blocking ability. PFF gave Fasano an 88.1 score for run blocking, which was the best of any tight end last year. His 72.9 pass blocking score was fourth-best among TEs.

Offensive tackle:

Andrew Whitworth spent some time at guard last season but his best (and most profitable) position is on the outside. He’s 35, but he is our top-ranked free agent tackle after turning in another stellar year.

Ricky Wagner could reportedly fetch around $10MM/year. The former fifth-round pick put it all together this year in Baltimore and he won’t turn 28 until October.

Russell Okung was thrust into the free agent market in February when the Broncos declined his option. This time around, it will be interesting to see whether he hires an agent. His previous deal was effectively a one-year pact with a club option for a four-year, $48MM deal with $20.5MM in guaranteed cash. After a so-so year, the Broncos wisely turned it down.

Austin Pasztor is listed as a tackle here, though it’s quite possible he reverts to the interior line in 2017. Mike Adams, a former second-round pick, makes the cut for his natural talent, even though he hasn’t shown much at the professional level. Will Beatty also found his way to the Top 15, but his market will be capped after two injury-ridden years.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Kevin Zeitler is the only offensive lineman to crack our Top 10 Free Agents list from late January. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. After three consecutive strong seasons, he is going to get big bucks.

Ronald Leary, who once pushed for the Cowboys to trade him, recognizes that a return probably isn’t in the cards. The Cowboys will go with La’el Collins in 2017 and beyond, but don’t cry for Leary. After making 12 starts in Collins’ place and ranking No. 25 among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards, Leary will find an eager market in March.

J.C. Tretter graded out as a top 10 center last year, according to PFF, and he just turned 26. Stefen Wisniewski offers experience at both guard and center and there should be at least a few teams looking at him as a potential starter.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Jets Notes: Quarterbacks, Mangold, Revis

December 3rd, 2016 at 9:01am CST by Ben Levine

Geno Smith hasn’t shown the ability to lead a team during his four years in the league, but you can’t knock the quarterback’s confidence. Talking to Fred Kerber of the New York Post, the 26-year-old said he agrees with his mother when she says the signal-caller’s best is yet to come.

“My mom told me something that was pretty special,” Smith said. “She’d been going to my games since I was a kid and never missed a game. And these past few years, I missed more games than I missed in my life and she said, ‘There’s always a time for that, there’s always a season where you feel like things aren’t going right. And then what comes after that is usually the best part of your life.’”

For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Rich Cimini (via Twitter) wouldn’t rule out Smith sticking around with the Jets in 2017, but he ultimately believes it’s “unlikely.” Smith is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the Big Apple…

Speaking of quarterbacks, Cimini can’t envision the team cutting bait with Bryce Petty (Twitter link). Furthermore, even considering Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s impending free agency, the writer can’t see the team selecting a quarterback in this year’s draft. Instead, Cimini points to a pair of veteran quarterbacks the Jets could pursue: Mike Glennon and Jay Cutler.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com believes the Jets could cut veteran offensive lineman Nick Mangold this offseason. However, the writer cautions that the team could offer him a “token pay cut” like they did with D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
Ralph Vacchiano of SNY writes that it “remains possible” that cornerback Darrelle Revis could return to the Jets next season. Fitzgerald tweets that the Jets are on the hook for $6MM of Revis’ salary, so they might as well get some return on the investment. Earlier this week, the veteran cornerback dismissed reports that he’s ready to retire.

Jets Place Geno Smith On IR

October 26th, 2016 at 7:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Geno Smith‘s return to the Jets’ starting lineup did not last, and the team made the procedural move to place the former second-round pick on IR, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk reports.

The fourth-year quarterback tore his ACL against the Ravens and as a result will cede the reins back to Ryan Fitzpatrick, whom he replaced briefly. Although Fitzpatrick had a career year in 2015 that induced the Jets to re-sign him for $12MM, this will mark the second time he’s stepped in for Smith due to injury.

The first, as a result of then-teammate IK Enemkpali‘s sucker punch, changed Smith’s trajectory with the Jets. The second looks like it will end his Gang Green tenure.

Smith’s contract expires after this season, with the Jets having only Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg signed past 2016. The former West Viginia signal-caller started 30 games for the Jets in 2013-14 and ’16, throwing 28 touchdown passes compared to 36 interceptions. Once regarded as a first-round talent, Smith holds a 12-18 career record and has completed 57.9% of his passes.

New York’s quarterback position could be categorized as unstable after Fitzpatrick’s comments regarding the team’s belief in him and the lack of experience of the new Nos. 2-3 passers on the depth chart. But Fitz will start this weekend against the Browns and is once again the Jets’ short-term answer.

Geno Smith Suffers Torn ACL

October 24th, 2016 at 1:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Jets quarterback Geno Smith has suffered a torn ACL, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The injury is, of course, a season-ender.

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After Ryan Fitzpatrick got off to an atrocious start this season, the Jets turned things back over to Smith who has mostly struggled since entering the league. Early on in Sunday’s game, Smith was sacked hard and fell awkwardly, leaving him with a major knee injury. The West Virginia product is slated for free agency this year and has likely played his last down as a member of the Jets.

Last year, Smith lost the majority of the season when a locker room fight with teammate IK Enemkpali left him with a broken jaw. Now, Smith’s season is over after less than one half of action.

It’s not immediately clear what the Jets will do at quarterback for the time being. Fitzpatrick looked capable when he was subbed into the game on Sunday, but the Jets already took the job away from him this month and they have reportedly decided against bringing him back for next season. The Jets may opt to see what they have in the younger Bryce Petty.

Ryan Fitzpatrick Not In Jets’ Post-2016 Plans

October 23rd, 2016 at 6:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets made their recent dissatisfaction with Ryan Fitzpatrick known this week after benching him for Geno Smith, whom the organization did not view as a sufficient option going into the season. But the team’s frustration with Fitzpatrick can be traced back as far as the spring, when the lengthy impasse that forced him to miss all of the team’s pre-training camp began, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports.

Fitzpatrick balked at a three-year, $24MM offer from the Jets this summer, and now the 34-year-old passer doesn’t have a future with the team beyond this season, sources informed La Canfora.

Fitzpatrick received the salary bump he sought coming off the career year, signing a one-season deal worth $12MM, but obviously hasn’t replicated his 2015 performance thus far. Although, he did lead a Gang Green comeback effort today in relief of an injured Smith despite entering Week 7 with a 5-to-11 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio and having completed just 57 percent of his throws. Fitzpatrick threw for 120 yards and a touchdown pass off the bench.

Todd Bowles, per La Canfora, backtracked on his pro-Fitz comments after the Cardinals loss upon seeing game film. The NFL’s turnover leader struggled with specified keys and reads in the Jets’ Monday-night defeat. Bowles’ reconsideration to give Smith another chance was widely approved throughout the organization, La Canfora reports.

The issue here, obviously, is the Jets don’t have a surefire long-term solution right now. Smith’s contract is up after 2016 as well, and the team plans to essentially redshirt Bryce Petty (again) and second-rounder Christian Hackenberg this season, with Petty being the option if Smith fares poorly. There is some hope within the organization Smith can revive his career, however. Fitzpatrick, though, isn’t willing to concede this job despite what he’s viewing as a lack of belief from the Jets.

“I think I should start every week,” Fitzpatrick said postgame, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter links). “When the owner stops believing in you and the GM stops believing in you and coaches stop believing in you, sometimes all you have is yourself.”

Bowles has not announced his Week 8 starter, with Smith’s knee injury leaving that uncertain for now. Smith completed 4-of-8 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens.

Jets Notes: Geno, Petty, Richardson

October 23rd, 2016 at 10:57am CST by Rory Parks

The Jets are just 1-5 and are turning the reins over to Geno Smith, but they have a chance to get back on track today against the banged-up and struggling Ravens. Let’s take a look at a few Jets-related notes as Gang Green attempts to right the ship:

Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com says that even though the Jets are putting their faith in Smith for the time being, the situation will remain fluid. Per Breer, New York could turn back to Ryan Fitzpatrick at some point this season, but the club also wants to get Bryce Petty some real game action to get a better idea of what they have in him (the coaching staff continues to believe that Christian Hackenberg is still too raw to be thrust into a regular-season contest). The Jets’ plans with Petty are part of the “competitive rebuild” that head coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan always knew the team needed. As Breer observes, of the 42 players the Jets cut from their 53-man roster over the past two years, only 13 are still in the league, which suggests that depth is still very much a work in progress.
Despite Breer’s report, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Smith will get a “fair chance” to keep the starting job and will not necessarily be on a short leash.
The Jets recently worked out linebacker Lenny Jones and defensive end Josh Shirley, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
Rich Cimini of ESPN.com does not believe the Jets necessarily invested too much on their defensive line, but they did invest too much in defensive linemen with similar skill-sets (as Cimini observes, the team’s D-line consists of four defensive tackles). The team of course cannot move on from Muhammad Wilkerson after signing him to a massive contract this offseason, and New York will not move on from Leonard Williams, who may be the best player on the roster. That means that Sheldon Richardson, who has a fifth-year option for 2017, could be cut or traded after the season, although the market for his services will not be as robust as one might think. Per Cimini, opposing GMs are concerned about Richardson’s off-the-field issues.
In a separate piece, Cimini writes that there is a “bad vibe” in the Jets’ locker room at the moment, and although Bowles still commands the respect of his club, Cimini is beginning to wonder if the team can remain unified in the face of its losing streak, its generation gap–most of the best players on the club are either over 30 or under 25–and host of dominant personalities.