Jets' Geno Smith on ‘Bench Watch' Says It All

Geno Smith returns to the New York Jets this season after a career turnaround over recent seasons, but a Broadway ending his career in Gotham looks unlikely.

USA Today's Jack McKessy picked Smith as one of six quarterbacks in danger of losing starting jobs this season for his "bench watch." McKessy isn't wrong for selecting Smith, though the Jets really have no one with substantial experience behind him.

"Smith is coming off of a season with 17 interceptions in 15 games (for the Las Vegas Raiders), a mark which not only led the league but also were the most he’s thrown in a year since his rookie year in 2013," McKessy wrote. "After a season like that, Smith may be in a position to be a “tank commander” for New York as they continue to look for their quarterback of the future."

McKessy anticipates rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik getting snaps at some point because of that, especially since the Jets have three first-round draft picks next year. New York also has Brady Cook, who didn't inspire when he played last year, and Bailey Zappe, who hasn't done much since a strong start to his career with the New England Patriots.

Smith's trail to the bench is the other question. The Jets open with the Tennessee Titans, so Smith could look good in Week 1, but it gets harder in a hurry with the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.

If Smith gets through those games, he will start against the Cleveland Browns and then AFC East division rivals New England and Miami. Smith could then get to face his old team in the Raiders, but another gauntlet arrives with the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers shortly after.

While Smith could make it through those games, the schedule doesn't really let up in late November and December. If Smith looks like he did with the Seattle Seahawks, he really could keep the starting job late into the season, but he could be on the bench already by Thanksgiving if he looks like he did in Las Vegas last year.

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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 12:33 PM.