After the Las Vegas Raiders parted ways with Geno Smith as soon as it was financially possible, his old employer, the New York Jets, acquired him with the thought that his veteran hand could be what they needed to steady the ship.
The Jets are falling for the exact same trick that ensnared the Raiders before their 3-14 season in 2025, though, which is not good news for Aaron Glenn, if that matters. In a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday, Smith struggled mightily.
During team drills, he threw two interceptions, took two sacks, and didn't complete any of his 13 passes beyond seven or eight yards. This comes after Smith was receiving tons of praise for his performance in training camp. Doesn't that sound familiar?
Smith helped the Raiders hit rock bottom during the 2025 NFL season, and while optimistic Jets fans believe that he could get back on track now that he is away from the Pete Carroll experience, practices like this are a sign that Smith may not be a starting quarterback in the NFL any longer.
Ex-Raiders QB Geno Smith struggles mightily in first Jets joint practice
Much like he did when he was in Las Vegas, Smith was very impressive in the early stages of training camp. Without pads on, and when Smith can't be sacked, he was making some very great throws. This is expected for a veteran quarterback who is not thinking about the fear of being taken down.
As Raiders fans are well aware, Smith will force the ball into coverage at inopportune times. Whereas during his prime in Seattle, he had the arm talent needed to fit the ball into tight windows, age and attrition have taken so much of a toll that Geno is no longer able to make those plays.
Even if Smith is better with the Jets than he was with the Raiders, which could be what happens due to New York's offensive line and wide receivers, it likely won't be enough to win many games. Hovering in mediocrity and not getting the No. 1 pick is how you get a guy like Geno Smith, not get rid of him.
The Raiders, meanwhile, have Fernando Mendoza locked and loaded for the future thanks to Smith's services last season. The Jets, if they are lucky enough, will be in the same position next April that Las Vegas was this past April: Moving on from Smith and getting a franchise quarterback.
Smith says all the right things at the podium and is better than Justin Fields, which will give the Jets an innate upgrade from what they had last season. However, that goodwill might start to erode if he keeps playing like this, as he looks more like Raiders Geno with each passing day.
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