Quarterback rankings can always guarantee two things. First, they always generate debate, particularly when they come from the people who work around the NFL every day. Second, New York Jets fans are never going to like what’s said about their favorite team.
A recent ESPN survey won’t change any of that. Jeremy Fowler recently polled league executives, coaches, and scouts. By the time he was done, Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen landed atop his quarterback rankings while New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye checked in at No. 8.
Seven additional quarterbacks earned honorable mention, and three others received votes. Geno Smith wasn’t on the top ten list. He wasn’t named on the latter two lists either. At first glance, that might appear discouraging for the Jets. In reality, it says more about the depth of today’s quarterback position than it does about Smith’s importance to his new team.
The Jets aren’t asking Geno Smith to be Josh Allen
Allen has spent years establishing himself as one of the league’s premier quarterbacks, while Maye’s rapid rise reflects the confidence many evaluators already have in his future. Smith enters the season with a much different assignment.
The Jets didn’t acquire the veteran quarterback to throw for 5,000 yards or single-handedly elevate the offense. They brought him to provide stability, leadership, and efficient decision-making while helping a young roster continue its development.
That’s a very different expectation than the one placed on Allen in Buffalo or even Maye in New England.
Smith’s success won’t be measured by offseason rankings. It will be measured by whether the offense stays on schedule, limits turnovers, and consistently puts its playmakers in position to succeed.
Winning matters more than individual player rankings
The Jets have spent the past two offseasons strengthening the roster around Smith. Breece Hall remains the centerpiece of the running game, Garrett Wilson headlines an improving group of pass catchers, and the offensive line continues taking shape with several promising young building blocks.
That supporting cast should allow Smith to do what he has done throughout much of his career: operate the offense efficiently without feeling obligated to force plays that aren’t there.
Quarterback rankings will always fuel conversation, especially in a division featuring Josh Allen and an emerging talent like Drake Maye. The Jets, however, aren’t building their offense around where Geno Smith ranks on a preseason list. They’re building it around the belief that veteran leadership, sound decision-making, and a stronger supporting cast can produce the kind of consistent football that has been missing in recent seasons. If that happens, Smith won’t need to finish among the NFL’s top 10 quarterbacks to prove he was the right choice for New York.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Geno Smith is ignored in favor of two AFC East rivals in NFL QB survey
Reporting by Geoffrey A Knox, Jets Wire / Jets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Geoffrey A Knox, Jets Wire | USA TODAY Network
