Aaron Glenn knows he has Geno Smith as his starting QB for the NY Jets

Geno Smith arrives at the New York Jets with a sense of redemption following his stint with the Las Vegas Raiders. The good news for him: Aaron Glenn has no doubt that he will be the starting quarterback for this season.

“Listen, he’s done it. I mean, those years in Seattle, when he was, I think, Comeback Player of the Year. Man, he was up for MVP early in the season. There’s no doubt in my mind that we brought a competent starter here to this team,” the head coach said via Ari Meirov on X.

At the moment, Smith shares the QB room with Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe. Nevertheless, barring any unforeseen circumstances, everything points to him being the natural replacement for Justin Fields starting in Week 1.

A misstep in Las Vegas

Geno Smith’s tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders proved to be a difficult one-and-done experiment characterized by high turnover rates and a lack of protection. Joining the team via trade from Seattle in March 2025, Smith struggled to find his rhythm behind a porous offensive line that allowed him to be sacked 55 times.

Geno Smith #7 of the Las Vegas Raiders

While he managed to throw for 3,025 yards and 19 touchdowns, he also recorded a league-worst 17 interceptions, contributing to a disappointing 2-13 record as a starter. Despite a historic debut where he broke a 45-year-old franchise record for passing yards in a Raiders debut, the team’s overall offensive struggles led to his departure.

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Glenn needs stability at QB

Heading into his second season as the Jets’ head coach, Aaron Glenn is prioritizing stability at the quarterback position after a tumultuous 2025 campaign. Last year, his offense struggled significantly under Justin Fields, whose season was marred by inconsistency and a league-high sack rate before a knee injury and eventual benching ended his tenure in New York.

In his absence, the Jets turned to veteran Tyrod Taylor to stabilize the unit, and later utilized Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe as the team limped to a 3-14 finish.

A tough schedule ahead for the Jets

Although the exact dates of the games are still unknown, the New York Jets already know their opponents. If this team wants to compete in the AFC East race, it will need to stay strong week after week.