Geno Smith will be the starting quarterback of the New York Jets in Week 1. No, you did not get out of a DeLorean going 88 miles per hour. Yes, this is 2026. The Jets made a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for Smith, whom New York took in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. After nine seasons away from East Rutherford, he is back. How did both sides fare in this trade?
The Jets gave up a 2026 sixth-round pick for Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick. So it is a low-stakes trade down to land their one-year starting quarterback. The Raiders brought Smith in from the Seattle Seahawks alongside Pete Carroll, trying to stabilize the franchise. That did not work, but Smith did help Vegas land the right to draft Fernando Mendoza first overall.
Was this move worth it for the Jets? Did the Raiders act too soon in getting rid of Smith?
The Jets continue to embarrass themselves
Nostalgia is hot in the streets these days. Everywhere you look, from television to the movies to NBA games, you see the good ol' days. Was that Darren Mougey's grand idea when bringing in Smith? Maybe, considering the Jets were only in the infancy of their still-active playoff drought when they drafted Smith 13 years ago. But Smith went 12-18 as a starter in New York, so his return isn't bringing back the best memories.
Well, are the Jets trying to be good? Certainly not. This is the same front office that traded Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline for future draft picks. Smith is not the quarterback of the future for New York. So why give up anything, no matter how menial the pick swap is, to bring him in?
Smith was one of the eight quarterbacks with a worse PFF Grade than Jets starter Justin Fields last year. But instead of giving 27-year-old Fields, who was under contract for $20 million, they will go with the 35-year-old Smith. Cutting Fields when the league year begins will cost the team $22 million against the cap, per Spotrac.
The only positive a Jets fan could possibly take away from this is that Smith landed the Raiders the first overall pick. But why trust Aaron Glenn and Woody Johnson with an elite quarterback prospect? Hey, maybe a special teams player won't punch Smith in the face this time. So, there's that.
A Manning spurned the Jets once to return to college. Even if the Jets land the top pick, conversations of Arch Manning, Peyton's nephew, doing the same will be rampant. Even if the Texas Longhorn isn't the top pick, whoever is will be told by everyone with a podcast to go back to school instead of play for this team. If Smith gets the job done and goes 1-16, the problem may not be solved.
F.
The Raiders clear the table for Fernando Mendoza
The Raiders tried to squeeze out a playoff appearance with Carroll and Smith last year, and it flamed out. Now, Tom Brady has cleared the deck and is prepared for the Fernando Mendoza arrival in Las Vegas. They did not get much for Smith and are paying a portion of his contract to play for the Jets. But they know they can find a better backup than Smith.
The Raiders did not have to do this, but are giving Smith an opportunity to start in the NFL next year. They do have Aiden O'Connell on the books, but will likely go out and get a veteran to back up Mendoza. Tyrod Taylor, Carson Wentz, and Jake Browning would be solid options, especially if they want Mendoza to sit to start the year.
The Raiders get a C for this trade, as they do have to pay some of the salary and didn't get a ton back. The entire Smith experience was an F, but if Mendoza is the next great Raiders quarterback, it will have all been worth it.
