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Jets Rumors Intensify Around Old Friend Geno Smith
Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks to throw in the first quarter against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There could be some fireworks coming for the New York Jets as soon as Wednesday.

The new league year will begin across the National Football League on Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET. That's when teams can start to make the reported free agency moves of the week official. Also, there will be some more options available. For example, neither Geno Smith nor Kyler Murray, two of the most intriguing quarterback options of the offseason, cannot sign with teams until the new league year. This obviously is interesting for the Jets because they don't currently have the quarterback position sorted out for the 2026 season.

While this is the case, The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt said it would be a "surprise" if Smith isn't the next quarterback for New York on "Flight Plan: A NY Jets Podcast."

The Jets are looking for a new QB

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"The latest conversations I've had, it would be a surprise at this point if Geno Smith is not signing with the Jets," Rosenblatt said. "Probably as soon as like Wednesday at [4:01 p.m. ET]. So right now, they can't even technically talk to him because there's this weird rule where like the Falcons are about to talk to [Tua Tagovailoa] because the Dolphins announced that they were releasing Tua. Whereas the Cardinals haven't announced anything with [Kyler Murray] and the Raiders haven't announced anything with Geno.

"Even though we know both of those things are happening. They can't technically do anything untill Wednesday when the new league year starts. It will be pretty remarkable when all of the signings that happen at [4:01 p.m. ET] happen, specifically. It still sounds like Kyler to Minnesota and it would be surprising at this point if Geno Smith is not the next Jets quarterback. From what I have been told, the Jets wanted to resolve their QB1 before moving on to QB2."

Smith has been consistently linked to the Jets over the last few days since it was reported that the Las Vegas Raiders will be moving on from him. Rosenblatt saying it would be a "surprise" if a reunion doesn't happen is the most definitive update on the quarterback market so far for New York.

Smith spent the first four seasons of his career in New York from 2013 through the 2016 season. In 2025, he had 3,025 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. If Smith does return and can return to form how he looked with the Seattle Seahawks from 2022 through 2024, the Jets will be in a good position. In 2024, he had 4,320 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for the Seahawks.


This article first appeared on New York Jets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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