Jets' Geno Smith trade is the best news Garrett Wilson could have asked for

A full decade removed from a disastrous stint with the New York Jets in the early part of his career, Geno Smith is headed back to his old digs after the Las Vegas Raiders traded him to the Jets in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Garrett Wilson now has a new QB1 once again.

The Smith acquisition, as fraught with peril as it may seem, represents an upgrade over what they had last season. The acquisition may also have been done, in part, to ensure that Wilson does not start a major revolt in the same way many other Jets who have been mired in losing have over the years.

Wilson is assuredly going to be force-fed a boatload of targets in Frank Reich's offense with Smith at the center of it all. Even as the losing mounts, giving a player like Wilson the production his talent merits is a good way to keep him happy amid what could be a very tough season.

Jets getting Geno Smith is best news possible for Garrett Wilson

Wilson is one of the best wide receivers in football, and he is paid as such, but his production hasn't been able to match the same levels as the other high-end pass-catchers in the game, thanks to a revolving door at quarterback. Smith, if nothing else, will be capable of distributing the ball to his receivers.

While Wilson has rightly been praised for his leadership and positivity in the face of constant losing, everyone has a breaking point. Winning five or six games is going to be tough either way, but getting 100 catches while doing so might be better than doing so with 50 catches.

Smith isn't going to be in the same black hole of offensive support that he was mired in during his time with the Raiders. With Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, and (in all likelihood) a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the wide receiver room is strong. Breece Hall, Mason Taylor, and a solid offensive line are both icing on the cake.

The Jets need to convince Wilson that this season will be building towards something worthwhile after how badly they screwed up beforehand. Getting Smith back and showing that a non-Justin Fields quarterback can be productive in this offense may be enough to sell him on what Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey are building this time.