The Jets are in a unique position where they may keep four quarterbacks on the roster. It’s unheard of. Teams rarely waste a roster spot to keep four quarterbacks. They prefer to keep a defensive player, a lineman or a special teams player to fill the regular season roster rather than keep four quarterbacks.
The Jets don’t want to be that team to keep four quarterbacks. It’s not feasible. With the way Geno Smith played last night, it makes sense to cut him. Smith finished 6-for-13 for 47 yards with an interception to show for it. He had a quarterback rating of 23.6, which is something no quarterback strive to have. The Redskins scored a touchdown in their first play after Redskins safety Will Blackmon intercepted his pass, extending their lead to the Jets to 14-2.
It was your typical Smith performance. A quarterback that throws an interception and spoil the momentum of his team. A player who offers nothing. This comes after he finished his first preseason game against the Jaguars by going 8-for-14 for 79 yards and getting a touchdown out of it. That’s been Smith since day one as the Jets quarterback. It has gotten old. He has showed no progress as a quarterback in his fourth year in the league. He gets a pass last year because he was out for the season after IK Enemkpali sucker-punched him in the jaw in Jets training camp.
What evidence has Smith showed that he will ever get better? That’s the question Jets head coach Todd Bowles and Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan will have to think about when they make cuts.
Bryce Petty has an upside. Unlike Smith, he can throw the deep ball. The second-year Jets quarterback can keep his unit on the field for a good 10 minutes. Based on his 16-for-26 performance for 242 yards, two touchdowns and a 117.8 rating, there is progress from last year’s fourth round pick. If Petty can play like this next week against the Giants, he certainly will give the Jets brain trust something to think about. It does not make a difference who the backup quarterback is for the Jets. If Ryan Fitzpatrick is done for the season or out for a certain amount of time, the Jets are done. Smith and Petty will not be difference makers whatsoever.
That’s why there is no point keeping Smith. He is not the answer now and in the future.
Petty should be the backup quarterback. He might as well develop and take his lumps if he gets to play this year. He has earned a shot than Smith.
The current third-string quarterback played with a sense of urgency, which is something Smith could not say last night in the Jets’ 22-18 loss to the Redskins.
The Jets backup quarterback played like the job was his already. He treated this game as if this was an exhibition game where he would get work in and that was it. That was the wrong tact to take. Smith has showed he has not earned the right to make the Jets roster. Not with his awful play in his first two seasons with the team. Not with his 42 turnovers in his two years with the team.Smith needs a change of scenery. It isn’t going to work with the Jets. The fans are done with him. They have been booing him at training camp. It’s hard to concentrate and play well when fans are waiting to boo a beleaguered player like him. Smith lost some respect of the locker room long time ago with his horrible work ethic and his inability to get better. It’s hard to get it back now.
That’s why there is no reason keeping him anymore.
Smith won’t be back next year. He has no future with the Jets, so the team might as well expedite his departure sooner rather than later.
Smith did all he could here. He tried his best. It isn’t working.
He is not good enough. That’s what it comes down to. The Jets might as well give the backup quarterback job to a quarterback that has promise in Petty.
There’s no guarantee Petty is going to be better, but the unknown is better than the known when it comes with the Jets quarterbacks.
The Jets saw enough of Smith to know he is a lost cause.