Jets' Geno Smith among NFL quarterbacks facing the most pressure entering 2026

Can Geno turn it around?

Charlie Baduini

New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The New York Jets needed a new starting quarterback this offseason, and they got one in former draft pick Geno Smith. Early in the offseason, they flipped the Las Vegas Raiders a 2026 sixth-round pick and got back a 2026 seventh-round pick for his services.

Smith came for cheap because of his down year in 2025. In 15 games with the Raiders last season, the 12-year veteran completed 67.4% of his passes for 19 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, throwing for 3,025 yards.

The 2013 second-round pick was certainly a disappointment in Las Vegas. The Raiders had higher expectations than landing the No. 1 overall pick with Pete Carroll at the helm, and Smith certainly contributed to those shortcomings.

But he has the chance with the Jets to flip the script next season, with a better supporting cast and a chance to avenge his early struggles in New York.

Jets' Geno Smith tabbed as one of the QBs under the most pressure entering 2026

Bleacher Report's Moe Moton believes Smith is among several NFL quarterbacks under the most pressure heading into 2026.

"Having gone through career trials and tribulations, Smith can turn things around for himself, but he'll try to do it with a franchise that hasn't had stability at quarterback for decades. If Smith has another down year, he's unlikely to get another chance to be a full-time starter in the league. "
Moe Moton

To Moton's point, this is certainly Smith's last chance to cut it as a starter in the NFL. Not many quarterbacks get many chances this late in their careers.

If he can turn back the clock to his Seattle days, Smith would not only get rid of any pressure facing him in 2026, but have a chance to be the Jets quarterback for the short-term future.

2022 was easily his best season, having completed 69.8% of his passes for 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. That would be a record-setting performance in Jets quarterback history.

If he can pull out a fraction of that, New York has a chance of being a competent football team, and that's been hard to achieve in recent years.

Charlie Baduini

Charlie Baduini covers the New York Jets as a site expert for The Jet Press and FanSided. He is a sports journalist based in Northern New Jersey with a wide variety of sports reporting experience in print and broadcast journalism. Baduini’s byline can also be seen on Heavy and The Sporting News, where he covers several teams across the NFL and NBA. His work has been featured in Heavy, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Yahoo Sports, MSN, and Yardbarker. He also serves as a seasonal intern for ESPN, working as a production assistant for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony every year since 2022. Baduini has been a Jets fan for as long as he can remember, with his family's fandom dating back to the 1960s when his grandfather, Louis, became a season ticket holder. His family has since held on to the tickets to this day. He is an avid fan of the New York Knicks and New York Mets.