The New York Jets have not been afraid to make moves during NFL free agency. New York went on a spending spree on Monday, spending more than $68 million on defensive players after acquiring Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins. Now they've completed a huge trade to reunite with a veteran quarterback.
The Jets have agreed to a trade with the Raiders to acquire QB Geno Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. New York will send a 2026 sixth-round pick back to Las Vegas.
Schefter added that Smith agreed to a restructured contract just before the trade. Las Vegas will still pay the bulk of his 2026 contract, with New York taking on an mount that is just over the veteran minimum.
Smith comes back to New York after beginning his career with the Jets back in 2013. The Jets drafted him in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Geno resurrected his career in 2022 with the Seahawks. He logged 4,282 passing yards with 30 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions. Seahawks fans immediately had someone new to root for after losing Russell Wilson.
Smith spent two more seasons in Seattle before being traded to Las Vegas before the 2025 season. The Raiders were a disaster in 2025 and Smith struggled as a result.
Las Vegas planned to cut Smith this offseason but instead agreed to this trade during the 11th hour.
Geno joins Justin Fields and second-year quarterback Brady Cook in New York's QB room. His addition likely means that the Jets will not bring back veteran Tyrod Taylor, who has played for the team since 2024.
The addition of Smith all but confirms that New York is not interested in adding a rookie quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. New York has two first-round picks, but the team seems determined to wait until 2027 to find their franchise quarterback of the future.
It will be interesting to see whether or not Smith can win a training camp battle for New York's starting job in 2026.
