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New York Jets No.2 Quarterback Job Geno Smith’s For Now

By Kenneth Teape

Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) drops back to pass during the second half of the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. The Jets won, 17-23. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) drops back to pass during the second half of the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. The Jets won, 17-23. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles said there is no competition for the backup quarterback spot, with Geno Smith having the job as of now.

The New York Jets had one of the most eye-catching quarterback storylines of the offseason. The contract despite between Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets was something people kept an eye on during the offseason, and now people are looking to see how the depth chart rounds out behind him.

Fitzpatrick is the unquestioned starting quarterback for the Jets, with Geno Smith looking to have the job behind him. That is what it looked like during the Jets’ first preseason game, as Smith came into the game after Fitzpatrick and ran with the No.2 offense for 20 snaps.

But, as it has been throughout his Jets career, people are trying to put Smith down and say that there is a competition for the backup spot behind Fitzpatrick. Bryce Petty is the player people are pushing, as he played 28 snaps in the preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday.

But, head coach Todd Bowles is putting any controversy to bed early, as he is sticking with Smith as his No.2 quarterback for now.

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“Geno is the No. 2 right now,” Bowles said Saturday after practice. “We’re not making a competition after one preseason game.”

Bowles made the order very clear, as he named Fitzpatrick first, followed by Smith, Petty and then rookie Christian Hackenberg. While that is the order that Bowles has them in now, that does not mean that things won’t change in a couple of weeks.

Petty seems to be receiving a legitimate shot at moving up the depth chart and cementing his spot on the roster. He and Smith played pretty evenly in the preseason game, as Smith went 8-of-14 for 79 yards and Petty went 7-of-14 for 93 yards. The big difference was that Smith led a touchdown drive.

The practice reps have been similarly distributed as well. On Saturday, Smith received 22 reps compared to 18 for Petty. Fitzpatrick took all of the reps with the first team, 36 in total, while Hackenberg took three.

How seriously the Jets think of Petty as a challenger for the backup spot will be evident this week when they play against the Washington Redskins. If they are serious about Smith keeping the job, he should come on first against the Redskins. But, if we see Petty take the field first, it could be a sign of the Jets giving Petty a chance to prove himself once again.

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This will be something to keep an eye on because many people find it difficult to believe that the Jets would hold onto four quarterbacks going into the regular season on a 53-man roster. That is the way things are shaping up currently unless Petty can show he is capable of handling backup duties; right now Smith is the only backup with NFL regular season experience.

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