Jets Want To 'Move On' From Smith, But Can They?

Every move the Jets have made this offseason has pointed to general manager Mike Maccagnan and the team’s new regime being ready to "move on” from Geno Smith as their quarterback of the future. Reuniting Ryan Fitzpatrick with old offensive coordinator Chan Gailey was the first signal, despite public statements from Maccagnan and new head coach Todd Bowles in support of Smith.

On a conference call with season-ticket holders in early April, neither Maccagnan nor Bowles ruled out moving up in the draft to select either Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston or Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Jets sent a contingent to Oregon for a workout with Mariota in late March, and Winston is visiting with the team this week. Those moves further signal how serious the team is about finding an upgrade at quarterback, even with Fitzpatrick and Smith on the roster.

Despite what the Jets have said when asked directly about Smith, the team must feel confident in their chances of landing one of the draft’s top two quarterbacks. If they weren’t, it would be tough to go back to Smith and Fitzpatrick with any level of confidence after publicly expressing interest in an upgrade and striking out in the draft.

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