Geno Smith is making a return to the New York Jets, a team he once called home after being drafted 39th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. The Jets secured Smith in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, exchanging Day 3 picks to bring back the seasoned quarterback.
Both Jets fans and Smith himself are hopeful that this second chapter will be more fruitful than his initial tenure. During his first four years in New York, Smith had a challenging run, finishing with a 12-18 record as a starter. He threw for 5,962 yards, completing 57.9% of his passes, with 28 touchdowns against 36 interceptions.
Smith's early struggles can be attributed to several factors, with maturity being a significant one. Initially, the starting role wasn't meant for him; it was supposed to be Mark Sanchez leading the team. However, an unexpected preseason injury to Sanchez thrust Smith into the spotlight in Week 1 of his rookie season, a daunting task for any 23-year-old quarterback.
Former Jets offensive lineman and teammate Willie Colon shed light on Smith's early challenges during an interview on WFAN. Colon highlighted that Smith wasn't set up for success, lacking the support system necessary for a young quarterback's development.
"Geno wasn’t supposed to start," Colon explained. "There wasn’t much in place to help him develop. It was just Geno coming out of West Virginia as a gunslinger, and New York was tough on him."
Colon also mentioned that Smith had "some character flaws" early on, which were evident during the infamous IK Enemkpali incident. This confrontation, over an alleged debt for a plane ticket, resulted in Smith suffering a broken jaw, which sidelined him and allowed Ryan Fitzpatrick to take over. Fitzpatrick led the Jets to a 10-6 record in 2015.
By 2016, with Fitzpatrick's performance declining, Smith was poised for another chance. Unfortunately, a torn ACL in a game against the Ravens cut that opportunity short, despite a promising start with 95 yards and a touchdown on four of eight completions.
After his time with the Jets, Smith became a journeyman, playing for the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before finding a starting role with the Seattle Seahawks. His experiences across the league have helped him grow as a quarterback, and the Jets are optimistic that his return will bring more success this time around.