New York Jets: Mike Maccagnan has faith in Geno Smith?
By Nick Ziegler
The New York Jets still don’t have their starting quarterback from last season signed, as Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets are still far apart.
While many believe that Fitzpatrick will sign with the Jets eventually, there has to be a plan in place in case the worst happens. With limited options for the Jets in free agency, Geno Smith could be the starting quarterback in 2016 if Fitzpatrick does indeed sign elsewhere. Smith wasn’t picked by the new regime in New York, but Mike Maccagnan was impressed by Smith.
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“I wasn’t here when Geno was a starter, but Geno did have a very good offseason for us last year,” Maccagnan said to Darryl Slater of NJ.com. “At the time of the whole incident, [he] was technically ahead of Ryan going into preseason. We never had the benefit of Geno working through the preseason, competing with Ryan, to see how that would’ve unfolded. That incident, when it happened, it was very unfortunate because we felt Geno had a very good offseason that year. The whole incident within the locker room obviously changed everything.”
Smith was going to be the Jets’ starting quarterback before the incident IK Enemkpali, which resulted in a broken jaw and surgery for Smith. Fitzpatrick was able to take the starting job and never look back, but Smith did get some extended playing time for the Jets this season when Fitzpatrick was injured against the Oakland Raiders.
“I thought [Smith] did some things well in that game,” Maccagnan said to Slater. “I know there are some plays he would obviously like to have back. We haven’t really had him as a starter for us, but he would definitely be a possibility to step into that role [if Fitzpatrick leaves]. Geno did do some good things, and we’ll see how it unfolds. The way the season unfolded last year for him, he never really had a chance to go out there and compete for the job. So he’s a bit of an unknown, really.”
Against the Raiders. Smith totaled 265 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and one interception in one of the Jets’ worst losses of the season. Whether it is Smith or not, Maccagnan has a backup plan in case Fitzpatrick does leave.
“We do have, like every team does, contingency plans,” Maccagnan said to Slater. “That’s just what you prepare for. I don’t necessarily want to get into who we have lined up as our contingency plan because we don’t want to necessarily tell other teams what we’re going to do.”
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The Jets obviously hope to have Fitzpatrick back next season, but if don’t Smith is the likely person to fill the spot. Maccagnan has done a very good surrounding the quarterback position with talented weapons on offense, as Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, and Eric Decker are a much better than Smith has had in his years as a starter, when Decker was the only option on offense.