New York Jets: Should Vikings Trade For Geno Smith

The New York Jets currently have four quarterbacks on their roster. Would one be a good fit to replace the injured Teddy Bridgewater in Minnesota?

After a knee injury suffered by Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the New York Jets might have a quarterback that can replace him. All indications are that Bridgewater is going to miss a significant time if not the entire season for the Vikings.

Mike Zimmer appears resigned to Teddy Bridgewater’s fate. He says it “doesn’t look good” for Bridgewater to play this season.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 30, 2016

Bridgewater was sent to the hospital after having to have his leg immobilized on the practice field. With Bridgewater likely done, the Vikings are going to need help at the quarterback position. As of now, Shaun Hill is the backup to Bridgewater, and the new likely starting quarterback.

Hill has some good career numbers, but at 36-years-old, those good numbers are a few years ago. With Bridgewater out, the Vikings will be searching around the league for help at the position. With four quarterbacks, the Jets are an easy fit on paper for the Vikings.

The Jets were able to reach an agreement with Ryan Fitzpatrick when training camp began to have their starter back for the 2016 season. The signing of Fitzpatrick moved Smith into the backup role.

Smith was preparing to be the starting quarterback for the Jets in 2016 when it appeared that Fitzpatrick wasn’t going to be re-signed. In the preseason, Smith has not looked good for the Jets, and he has also struggled during practice.

The Jets recently announced that Smith will be sitting out in the preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a good sign for Smith, as there were some that believed he might be fighting for a roster spot.

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In the NFL Draft the past two years, the Jets have selected two quarterbacks. Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg are both considered to be projects, but the organization has high hopes for them both. This preseason, Petty was able to have a magnificent game against the Washington Redskins. The great performance coupled with Smith’s poor one was when the wheels really started rolling on the Smith could get cut talk.

Petty wasn’t able to replicate the performance against the New York Giants in the third preseason game, and he might be fighting for his roster spot on Thursday. It seems likely that the Jets are willing to carry four quarterbacks into the season at this point, but that can all change.

For the Vikings, interest in Smith would make a lot of sense. He has nearly two years of experience as a starter and was able to have an 8-8 record in 2013. In more than 10 seasons Hill has never started in more than 10 games in any season in the NFL. This has to be a bit concerning for a team that had high expectations this season.

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Even if the Vikings used Hill as the starter to Smith, he would give them some insurance at the position. Trading Smith to the Vikings certainly would make a lot of sense for both teams. Now, let’s see if it will happen.

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