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Geno Smith on his way out of New York?

By Jon Dove

Nov 8, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) drops back to pass in front of New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) during warmups before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. Fitzpatrick is wearing a protective glove on his injured left hand. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) drops back to pass in front of New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) during warmups before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. Fitzpatrick is wearing a protective glove on his injured left hand. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Jets could consider releasing Geno Smith after they were finally able to get Ryan Fitzpatrick under contract.

Geno Smith has had a rough couple of years with the New York Jets. He’s had his share of issues on the field, but has also had to dealing with distractions like getting punch by IK Empaeldi.

The situation hasn’t gotten any better with the Jets coming to terms with Ryan Fitzpatrick which puts Smith on the roster bubble. New York needed to bring back Fitzpatrick based on his excellent performance last year, but the move does create a logjam at the position.

A decision needs to be made on whether to keep Smith, Christian Hackenberg or Bryce Petty on the roster. Hackenberg is safe based on the fact he was just selected in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Petty was selected in the 3rd round the year before, but is very raw and may need a little more time to develop. The lack of experience between Hackenberg and Petty may help Smith in the long run.

The Jets might not feel comfortable heading into the season with two inexperienced backup quarterbacks. However, Smith’s presence could be seen as a distract and a potential headache for the team.

Fitzpatrick’s new deal is only for 1 season which basically means that the Jets are not committed to him as their long-term answer at the position. This could put him on thin ice during the season with a stretch of a few bad games forcing a switch.

Obviously, it would be easier for the Jets to turn to Smith rather than the two younger players. Smith may not have had a ton of success, but he has experience as a starter and enough talent to get his career back on track.

That talent and experience might also make it possible for the Jets to trade Smith. There are plenty of teams in the league that could use a player like Smith in their quarterback room.

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