The Jets didn’t make much noise at the trade deadline, and that was the right call when it came to Geno Smith.
New York sat at 2-7 and drew interest from teams asking about the veteran quarterback, but the Jets had no appetite to move him. That made sense. Smith hasn’t been the issue in a season that’s gone sideways, and dealing him would have stripped away one of the few stabilizing pieces on the roster.
Through nine games, Smith has thrown for 2,078 yards with 12 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 67.5% completion rate. At 36, he’s still functioning as a legitimate NFL starter, and for a Jets team that isn’t going anywhere in 2026, that matters.
It matters most for the offense around him. New York has a young group of pass catchers that has benefited from having a steady quarterback in place, with Garrett Wilson leading the way and Mason Taylor, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr., and Adonai Mitchell all making progress.
If Smith had been shipped out, that development would have been thrown into the hands of Cade Klubnik, and the Jets would have been asking a lot more of a group still trying to find its footing.
Instead, Smith gives the Jets a chance to keep building something on offense over the rest of the season and into next year. He can serve as a bridge while the franchise searches for its quarterback of the future, and he could even remain in the picture as a mentor if the Jets land that player in the 2027 NFL Draft.
For now, the payoff is simple: Smith has helped keep the passing game moving, and the young receivers have shown it in the numbers. Taylor has 18 catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns; Sadiq has 21 receptions for 235 yards and one touchdown; Cooper has 20 catches for 306 yards and two touchdowns; and Mitchell has 16 receptions for 265 yards and one touchdown.
The Jets may have had a quiet deadline, but holding onto Smith was the move that made the most football sense.
In Other News...
Jets Could Get A Needed Defensive Lift Against The Bills
The Jets are heading into their matchup with the Bills with a healthier look than they have had in weeks, and that matters for a defense that has been trying to piece things together through injuries. Aaron Glenn said most of the starters should be available, with Trevin Wallace the lone player ruled out, while Garrett Wilson, Omar Cooper Jr., Harrison Phillips and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. are all on track to suit up.
The biggest boost could come from Joseph Ossai, who has missed much of the season with a foot injury and has appeared in only three games so far. If he is back in the mix, it gives New York another edge option as it tries to stiffen up against Buffalo and get a more complete defensive effort at a time when every available body matters. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Just Added Intrigue To A Jets Season That Feels Lost
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For Buffalo, the stakes are straightforward: keep building its position in the AFC East and protect a better playoff path. For the Jets, even a season that feels lost still has a way of creating problems for an opponent, especially one that has to prove its defense can handle a team that has been hanging around in games and making things uncomfortable late. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Have Every Reason To Push Back On Geno Smith Narrative
Geno Smith has given the Jets something they have not had enough of this season: stability at quarterback. Even with the team struggling in the standings, Smith has put together a solid individual year, ranking 10th in passing yards and seventh in passer rating, a reminder that the position has not been the problem every Sunday. His play has also forced a rethink from the preseason, when he was slotted 32nd in FanSideds quarterback rankings and has since climbed to 26th.
For a fan base that has spent years waiting for competent quarterback play, there is a real case for pushing back on any narrative that treats Smith like a placeholder. The conversation now is less about whether he can be useful and more about what the Jets do next, especially with talk that he could still be around in 2027 to help guide the teams future first-round pick. That kind of bridge value matters, even if the bigger answer at quarterback is still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]