NY Jets: Should they bring back Geno Smith in 2016?

The NY Jets will have an interesting situation on their hands in the future when it comes to what to do with quarterback Geno Smith.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the projected NFL salary cap is going to be between $150 and $153.4 million in 2016. According to the website Over the Cap, the Jets will have 39 players on their active roster come season’s end, and they will have a cap number of $135,289,960.

The Jets will have a dilemma on their hands come the off-season. Should they keep or cut Geno Smith? Let’s look at it from the highest possible cap perspective. The Jets could have as much as $18,110,040 in cap space with Smith on the roster going into the off-season.

According to Over the Cap, the Jets cap number for Smith is $1,597,146 with his signing bonus of $507,655 as “Dead Money,” meaning if they cut him that number will count against the cap. So, the Jets would save $1,089,491 off their cap.

Saving that $1.08 million might not be worth it, though. Most teams carry three quarterbacks. According to Our Lads, 20 of the 32 NFL teams do, including the Jets.

That means the Jets would be adding that cap space to most likely sign a third-string QB, with Bryce Petty likely to go into the season competing for the starting job with whomever they add via free agency or the NFL Draft. That means, instead of searching for just one quarterback, they will to do so for two.

The free agent crop for quarterbacks is slim in 2016, with the best options being Sam Bradford, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Hasselbeck. Also, the website Walter Football has their mock draft already up, and they have the Jets selecting Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin at their projected #23 spot, Georgia pass rusher Jordan Jenkins at 56 and Utah running back Devontae Booker at 86.

According to the Walter Football Mock Draft, Paxton Lynch will be taken by the Browns at #3, Jared Goff #5, Connor Cook will be taken at #11 by the Rams and Christian Hackenberg will be taken by Houston at #43. With that being said, they may want to hold onto all of the quarterbacks they have on the roster now, because they don’t want three under the age of 27 on their roster.

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According to Spotrac, Fitzpatrick currently costs the Jets $3.25 million this season. The way he’s been playing this season, he may cost them more. If they do sign him, it will probably be a one-year deal. It will probably cost them $4-5 million. That, along with keeping Smith, would leave the Jets $13,110,040-14,110,040 in cap space.

Despite being a veteran and playing well this season, the thing that makes the most sense is that the Jets should hold onto both Smith and Fitzpatrick. All three quarterbacks should go into camp with the chance to be the starter, and whomever comes out on top wins the job.

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