Jets may face off with heated rival in Geno Smith free agent sweepstakes

The New York Jets are in such a bad situation with regard to their quarterback room that the idea of signing former second-round pick Geno Smith after the Las Vegas Raiders cut ties with him is not only viewed as a neutral move, but many fans are actively advocating for it as one of the best moves Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey could make.

Smith, who is going to be released by the Raiders when time allows, is going to have multiple suitors on the market. According to Connor Hughes, one of the Jets' biggest rivals in the Miami Dolphins may try to kick-start their post-Tua Tagovailoa era by signing Smith in free agency.

Both teams are desiring stability to give new coaching staffs a boost, and the stink of the Jets tax might be so pungent that Smith decides to go in a completely different direction when the time comes to pick his next destination.

Jets will need to compete with Dolphins to sign Geno Smith

Smith threw just 19 touchdowns and 17 interceptions last season, a sign that his cavalier style of play is starting to regress back to the mean as he gets a little longer in the tooth. However, there are some signs that his true struggles last season may have been more of a byproduct of the Raiders being a tire fire.

The Raiders' offensive line is multiple tiers below the Jets' group right now, and Chip Kelly's disastrous stint as the OC suggests that going to Frank Reich could be a massive upgrade. Smith would likely waltz into New York as the unquestioned top starter.

Miami is in the same rebuilding situation as the Jets, though they will likely need to take Tua Tagovailoa's contract hit on the chin this offseason. The Dolphins have a worse offensive line, a neophyte coaching staff led by Jeff Hafley, and minimal financial flexibility. A hometown discount, weather, and taxes may be their biggest advantages.

Amid all the smoke linking Reich and his former Colts protege Carson Wentz to a return, Hughes suggested that the quarterback room in 2026 may consist of Wentz, a veteran like Smith, and a rookie picked outside of the first-round. Penn State's Drew Allar and North Dakota State's Cole Payton would fit that criteria.

Smith is not going to be the quarterback who finally takes the Jets and turns them into a contender,