Over a week into camp, the early buzz around the Jets’ offense is starting to take shape, and Geno Smith is right in the middle of it.
What’s been reported from the field lines up with the kind of camp start fans were hoping to hear about: Smith and Cade Klubnik have both looked sharp at times, while third-year receiver Adonai Mitchell has kept building on his offseason momentum. The offense under Frank Reich is also showing its personality, with plenty of multiple-tight-end looks and a clear emphasis on versatility from the running backs.
The latest word on Smith came Tuesday from SNY’s Connor Rogers, who said the veteran quarterback has stood out with a "consistent effort" no matter where the ball is going. That means Smith has been effective on the short stuff, the intermediate routes and the deeper shots downfield.
“He wants to push the ball down the field to the WRs, and hopefully that opens up the quick underneath throws to [Omar Cooper Jr.], Isaiah Williams, etc,” Rogers wrote on Twitter/X. “The TEs got plenty of looks in the intermediate area.”
For Jets fans, that’s the kind of early camp report that can actually matter. In the weeks leading into training camp, the national conversation had already started to sour on Smith and the Jets.
CBS Sports even labeled the team’s quarterback room as the league’s second-worst behind the Browns. That’s a pretty harsh spotlight for a quarterback trying to reset the narrative in his return to New York.
Smith is also doing this as he approaches his 36th birthday, which only adds to the significance of a strong start. He does not need to suddenly become an MVP candidate to change the conversation, and no one is expecting him to jump Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson on that level. But if he keeps stacking solid days like this, he can at least chip away at the doubt hanging over him.
There’s also the adjustment factor. Smith has never played in Reich’s offense before, and this is a return to the Jets after a hectic first stint and a decade away. Even so, he’s already building chemistry with Mitchell and Jelani Woods, the veteran tight end who has seen more work with Kenyon Sadiq out.
Of course, training camp is still training camp. Plenty of teams have looked great in July and August before the real games exposed the truth, and the 2008 Detroit Lions are the reminder nobody forgets. But right now, the Jets need reasons to believe, and Smith is giving them one by letting his play speak for itself.
Whether he’s hitting Mitchell or finding Isaiah Williams underneath, the early signs point in one direction: things are moving up at Jets camp.
In Other News...
Jets Camp Just Took Another Hit At Tight End
The Jets tight end group has already been under a spotlight in camp, and rookie Kenyon Sadiq has added another layer to it after missing practice time while working back from a hernia injury. Head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed the setback, which comes at a point when every rep matters for a young player trying to carve out a role and for a position group that has been watched closely since camp opened.
Sadiqs absence could create a little more runway for Mason Taylor, who has drawn praise from the coaching staff and may see more chances while the rookie continues his rehab. For a team trying to sort out its depth and find reliable options early, any interruption at tight end has a way of changing the conversation fast, and this one leaves the Jets waiting on how soon Sadiq can get back into the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Rookie Is Suddenly Forcing His Way Into A Bigger Role
The Jets interior defensive line has already been handed a summer twist, with the early weeks of training camp creating an opening for Darrell Jackson Jr. The rookie defensive tackle came into the season with the expectation that his first year would be more about learning than playing, but extra practice reps have put him in position to show he can handle more than a limited developmental role.
Jacksons rise has come in part because the defensive tackle room has been thinned out early, giving him a clearer path to work with the first group and make an impression on the coaching staff. If the line keeps dealing with injuries, the Jets may not have the luxury of easing him along for long, and what was supposed to be a quiet rookie season could turn into something much bigger before camp is over. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Kicker Battle Just Became A Real Week 1 Debate
The Jets spent the offseason replacing a familiar piece of stability after veteran kicker Nick Folk left for Atlanta in free agency, and the search for his successor has quickly turned into one of camps more intriguing battles. New York brought in Cade York and former All-Pro Jason Sanders to compete for the job, giving the team two kickers with enough pedigree to make this more than a routine depth-chart exercise.
A recent training camp practice only sharpened the competition, with Sanders running the table on all eight field goal tries and York connecting on seven of eight. For now, the Jets look set with their main Week 1 options, but the final call is still going to come down to who can stay steady through the rest of camp and the preseason, where every kick carries a little more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]