FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — After a nine-year separation, the New York Jets and quarterback Geno Smith are together again.
Instead of waiting for him to be released, the Jets traded for Smith on Tuesday, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Jets are sending a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for Smith and a 2026 seventh-rounder, sources told Schefter.
Smith was in the Jets’ facility Tuesday morning and passed the physical, a source mentioned.
Smith will be the Jets’ starting quarterback, a job he held for the Jets from 2013 to the 2015 preseason — until he was punched by a teammate in a locker room dispute that resulted in a fractured jaw.
To facilitate the trade, the Jets and Smith agreed to a renegotiated contract, a source told ESPN. Details weren’t immediately available, but the Raiders assumed the bulk of the 2026 payout, the source mentioned.
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Before the restructure, the deal had two years and $66 million remaining on it, including $18.5 million guaranteed.
If the Jets had waited for him to be released on at 4 p.m. Wednesday, they could’ve signed him for $1.3 million, the veterans minimum. But they would’ve faced competition for him. The Minnesota Vikings were known to be interested.
Resetting their quarterback depth chart, the Jets are likely to move on from Justin Fields, who started nine games last season before he was benched. Other than Fields, who has one year, $20 million remaining on his contract, the Jets have Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe under contract. They’re expected to add a veteran backup, perhaps Carson Wentz.
The Jets could envision Smith as a bridge to the 2027 draft, which could be loaded with blue-chip prospects. They could draft a quarterback next month — not with the second overall pick, but perhaps with the 16th, 33rd or 44th choice.
For now, they’re reaching into their past to address the current situation.
Smith is coming off one of his worst seasons. He was 27th out of 28 qualified passers in Total QBR (34.1), and he leads the league in interceptions (32) over his past two seasons. The Jets hope he can recapture his 2022 and 2023 form, when he threw 50 touchdown passes for the Seattle Seahawks.
The Jets’ second-round pick in 2013, Smith started 29 games (34 interceptions) in his first two seasons. He was poised to be the Week 1 starter in 2015, but he wound up missing several weeks after being punched by backup linebacker IK Enemkpali in a dispute over $600.
With Smith sidelined, the Jets turned to veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who won over the team with his inspired play. He set a franchise record with 31 touchdown passes, leading the Jets to a 10-6 record — their last winning season.
Smith served as Fitzpatrick’s backup in 2015 and 2016, and he spent the next four seasons as a backup with the New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers and Seahawks before succeeding Russell Wilson as the Seattle starter in 2022.
His best season was 2022, when he passed for 30 touchdowns, 4,282 yards and led the Seahawks to the playoffs under Pete Carroll. He made the Pro Bowl, and again in 2023, but his play has declined since then.
