There's no debate that the New York Jets' quarterback situation over the past decade or so hasn't been ideal. For an organization that's yet to figure that out, the Jets are hopeful that Geno Smith, at the very least for a season or two, can be that guy.
If Smith plays very well this season, there should be little to no debate that he would return to New York next offseason.
At the same time, a few things are worth considering. For one, this will be Smith's second time leading the Jets.
That's going to cause some storylines, as there already have been, but it's actually more than anybody could even imagine. According to ESPN, he'll be the 8th starting quarterback in Week 1 in the past 11 years, and he'll also make history along the way by doing something no other quarterback in the Super Bowl era has done.
“When Smith takes the field for the season opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 13 (1 p.m. ET, CBS), he will become their eighth different Week 1 starter in the past 11 years. His last season-opening start for the Jets was 2014 -- a 12-year separation.
“No quarterback in the Super Bowl era has had a longer gap between opening-day starts for a single franchise, according to ESPN Research.“Digest this: He needs 332 passing yards to move past Zach Wilson for 10th place on the team's all-time list -- a factoid that could evoke a variety of emotions from Jets fans, impatiently waiting for a franchise quarterback,” Rich Cimini of ESPN wrote.
To hear that he also has a chance to break Zach Wilson's record is a bit crazy to consider, but again, this is the Jets we're talking about, unfortunately. Had the Jets made some better decisions at the position over the past few years, things likely wouldn't be how they are now.
There's a lot to digest here with Smith and his opportunity to come in and make an impact for the organization.
At the same time, the Jets also have to hope that Smith can just be the guy that they need him to be. Not saying that he needs to be a superstar by any means, but if he can just be above average, New York will be in a very good position.
