New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith had a great performance in the preseason matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The New York Jets made a change to the quarterback room this offseason, acquiring veteran Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders.
Smith is coming off a down year, as he completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. The 35-year-old will be looking to play at a higher level in a new situation, and his preseason performance is a great start.
Smith completed all seven of his pass attempts for 65 yards and a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a very efficient drive, and New York hopes it's a sign of things to come in the 2026 season.
The Jets have some talented young pieces on offense, including Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., Kenyon Sadiq, and Mason Taylor.
Hall will be a key piece out of the backfield for New York, as he rushed for 1,065 yards and four touchdowns, along with 36 receptions for 350 yards and a touchdown.
Wilson will lead the way in the receiver room, as he's had three 1,000-plus yard seasons in his four years in the league. He may have gone all four seasons with 1,000-plus yards had he not been injured in the 2025 season.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe other pieces in the passing game are all young and will need time to become consistent players, but they have the talent to contribute this season.
While New York is still building out their roster to develop into a playoff team, they should be more competitive than they were in the 2025 season. The Jets struggled mightily, finishing with a 3-14 record and trading away defensive stars Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams for future draft capital.
This shows the direction that Darren Mougey and the front office are taking to build the team long-term.
Although Smith won't be the quarterback of the future for New York, he could be a solid veteran and bridge quarterback to help develop the young talent on the roster.
If Smith continues his preseason success into the regular season, he will be closer to the quarterback he was when he was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Seattle Seahawks.
