Dan Orlovsky offers brutal take on Jets after return of Geno Smith

The New York Jets could have pursued interesting quarterback options such as Malik Willis, Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa or even retired signal-caller Derek Carr this offseason. 

Instead, the Jets left many of their fans scratching their heads when they brought Las Vegas Raiders flop Geno Smith back to the franchise that gave up on him after his fourth NFL season (2016). 

During an appearance on the latest edition of ESPN New York's "The Michael Kay Show," ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky shared a harsh reality about what the Jets acquiring Smith likely means for the future of the organization. 

Are Jets already punting on 2026 season? 

"If you are people that are Jets fans and/or people on my side of the business that are looking at the reality, you’re going, if you’re the Jets, you want to have the No. 1 pick in 2027. That’s just what’s best for them long term," Orlovsky said, per NJ Advance Media.

Of course, Orlovsky was suggesting without directly saying that the Jets are already thinking about punting on the 2026 campaign with the 2027 NFL Draft in mind. For what it's worth, players and coaches make it known each year that they find "tanking" talk downright offensive. Players and coaches don't try to lose games, nor are they thinking about upcoming draft classes on NFL Sundays. 

Additionally, it's likely that Jets head coach Aaron Glenn would find himself out of a job if Gang Green ended the 2026 season responsible for the league's worst overall record. It's unknown if general manager Darren Mougey would also be shown the door if such a scenario played out. 

What the Jets have in new starting quarterback Geno Smith

"They got an adult, and they got a professional," Orlovsky said about the Jets starting Smith. "I think that’s the reality of where they are right now is they got somebody who can just kind of be a quarterback at a starter level that will make them a competitive football team week in and week out...This is not the long-term solution."

That's hardly a ringing endorsement for a 35-year-old who will serve as the QB1 for a team that holds sole possession of the longest active postseason drought among the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and MLS (15 years).