Jets fans are about to realize what the Seahawks quickly learned about Geno Smith

For the fourth consecutive year, Geno Smith enters training camp as a starting quarterback.

This time, he’s back with the New York Jets after stints with the Seattle Seahawks and Las Vegas Raiders.

Although Smith is guaranteed to be the Week 1 starter, he arguably finds himself in a position similar to his most recent quarterback competition.

And as strange as it might seem, the Jets should be thrilled by the odd prospect of familiarity. 

Geno Smith responds best when the odds are stacked against him

Back in 2022, Smith found himself in a surprising situation.

After years as a journeyman backup, Smith spent the offseason competing with Drew Lock for the Seahawks’ starting quarterback job.

Seattle had just traded Russell Wilson, and Smith impressed in four games the previous season.

And while Smith was always the unofficial favorite to replace Wilson, he followed through and earned Comeback Player of the Year honors in his first season starting since 2014.

Fast forward to the present, where Smith again needs to prove his critics wrong.

When he arrived in Las Vegas last offseason, the external expectation was that Smith could at least be league-average under Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly.

Instead, Smith led the league in interceptions, Kelly was fired in late November, and Carroll lost his job when the season ended.

The only consensus on Smith is that he’s unlikely to be the starter in 2027. He turns 36 in October, and the Jets have three first-round picks next spring.

However, Smith showed in Seattle that he’s at his best when we’re collectively unsure how he’ll perform.

Think of the questions we’ve recently asked. Could Smith be an efficient stopgap quarterback, or will rookie Cade Klubnik be the starter by November?

What would define a successful season for Geno Smith?

Despite his penchant for turnovers, Smith has proven he can perform well under the pressure that comes with being a starting quarterback.

The irony isn’t lost on us. 

Smith is nowhere close to the quarterback he was when he left the Jets in 2017. He’s far more mature, and he’s a grizzled veteran who maximized opportunities to revive his career in Seattle.

The Jets’ roster is in good shape, and the Dolphins’ rebuild gives the Jets a chance to avoid finishing in last place.

If Smith can keep the Jets contending for a playoff berth by Thanksgiving, he’ll have finally done some good for Gang Green.

No one, not even his fantasy football owners, should expect Smith to resemble his 2022 or 2023 form. 

But Smith is capable of providing the Jets with above-average quarterback play, something they’ve rarely enjoyed over the last decade.

Let it be known that the conductor of the Cade Klubnik Hype Train is optimistic about Geno Smith. 

Credit to the 2026 New York Jets, who are finally providing reasons for positivity. 

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