Jets GM says he's 'excited to see' what Geno Smith can do if he's starting QB

[Jet Fan RI]

From cbs sports:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25575786/jets-gm-excited-to-see-what-geno-can-do-if-hes-the-starting-qb

Are you familiar with the saying, "If you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one?" Well, the New York Jets have three quarterbacks, and they're hoping to have four. Do with that what you will.

The Jets have spent the entire offseason dancing around Ryan Fitzpatrick, each hoping the other side will blink in their standstill negotiations. Fitzpatrick put up far better numbers last season than he had over the rest of his career and reportedly wants to be paid in accordance with those numbers, while the Jets want to pay him like last season was an outlier for a joureyman QB that had never previously been more than a below-average starter. And so Fitz has sat on the open market while the Jets spent the offseason withGeno Smith and Bryce Petty as the only quarterbacks on the roster.

Then last week's draft came around, and the Jets added former Penn State passer Christian Hackenberg to the mix. They used their second-round pick on Hackenberg, something teams don't normally do unless that at least view the player as a potential starter. The last second-round pick the Jets spent on a quarterback was on Smith, who wound up starting during his first season as a result of an injury to Mark Sanchez.

Smith started for the team in 2013 and 2014, and entered last offseason as the probable starter yet again, but a punch to the jaw from IK Enemkpali thrust Fitzpatrick into the lineup. He never relinquished the spot, even after Smith returned to the field.

The Jets have spent the entire offseason expressin their wish to bring Fitzpatrick back into the fold, even while refusing to meet his contract demands. Everyone from the coach to the owner to several players has stated they want him back. Add that to the fact that the Jets have drafted a quarterback each of the last two years and it doesn't seem like the have all that much confidence in the idea of "Geno Smith, starting quarterback."

But general manager Mike Maccagnan went on The Michael Kay Show on Monday and stated that he's "excited" to see what Geno can do if he's the starter this season.

“Going forward, you always have contingency plans,” Maccagnan said, per Newsday. “In the NFL, it's kind of like playing chess. At some point in time, you get down to where you run out of moves. We're not at that stage yet.

“Right now, Geno has been a starter for us, and actually played quite well prior to getting hurt last year, and was doing a good job in the offseason. So we're kind of excited to see what Geno can do, coming back. And we feel good about that.”

Smith was the Jets' starter for 29 games across the 2013 and 2014 seasons -- we have a general idea of what he can do. He completed 57.5 percent of his passes at 6.9 yards per attempt while throwing 25 touchdowns against 34 interceptions. New York went 11-18 in those games. That performance is likely what led the Jets to select a QB in the middle rounds of the 2015 draft, hoping to develop him into a potential starter. (The wisdom of that particular strategy notwithstanding.)

 

 

 

Geno Smith got a vote of confidence from his GM. (USATSI)

 

 

 

It also likely factored into the decision to take another QB in the second round just three years after selecting Smith there. So even if Maccagnan is publicly expressed confidence in his ability to be the starter, his actions tell another story. He's spent a bunch of his draft capital on quarterbacks during his two seasons as GM. That's not something you do if you're that confident in the ability of a 25-year old quarterback.

Then again, Maccagnan doesn't seem all that eager to have Hackenberg start right away, either. “With any player coming into the league, it is definitely a maturation process and it doesn't matter, again, what position you play,” Maccagnan said. “I think quarterback is probably one of the harder positions to transition into the NFL. I know there's always a desire to have them go out there and play right away. The reality is, though, that it's going to be determined by how he does.

“And I think, my personal opinion is, we'll see where he's at and how he is in terms of assimilating into our offense and our system . . . Some quarterbacks come in and play right away and some do well and some struggle and they go through growing pains.”

 

Topics: Bryce Petty, Geno Smith, IK Enemkpali, Mark Sanchez, Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets, NFL

[Jet Nut]

Tired of that dumb assed if you have 2 you have none.  No shlt, if you're flopping back and forth between a couple of QBs is bad.  WTF does that have to do with having a starter like Fitz, a backup and projects? 

[rex-n-effect]

Complete non-story. Will he not be "excited" to see what any QB does as starter for the team?

[PepPep]

I don't really get why this was posted. What are we to discuss? 

 

 

[Augustiniak]

3 minutes ago, PepPep said:

I don't really get why this was posted. What are we to discuss? 

 

 

how mccags is publicly torturing fitz and his agent.

[Integrity28]

6 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

Tired of that dumb assed if you have 2 you have none.  No shlt, if you're flopping back and forth between a couple of QBs is bad.  WTF does that have to do with having a starter like Fitz, a backup and projects? 

This is an old mentality that fans glom onto. The notion that you can't invest in the QB position beyond one guy at a time, for fear of things being too in flux, is absurd. I am increasingly convinced that the only people that struggle with this are fans that can't focus on more than one thing at a time.

[Jet Fan RI]

12 minutes ago, PepPep said:

I don't really get why this was posted. What are we to discuss? 

 

 

Comment however you would like. As for me, I feel Geno should get another chance. I am intrigued by the fact Geno beat out Fitz for the job last year, then Fitz proceeded to have the best season of his career. And with Fitz holding out for more cash, I don't feel particularly enamored of him anymore.

Of course, Mac might just be playing poker with Fitz. 

 

 

[AFJF]

How often do GM's say they fear the imminent disaster that awaits the franchise once one of his players who is currently under contract gets on the field?

[Jet Fan RI]

Just now, AFJF said:

How often do GM's say they fear the imminent disaster that awaits the franchise once one of his players who is currently under contract gets on the field?

Failing to say imminent disaster is feared does not require a statement of excitement. How about simple silence? 

[AFJF]

4 minutes ago, Jet Fan RI said:

Failing to say imminent disaster is feared does not require a statement of excitement. How about simple silence? 

It's a multi-billion dollar industry.  Many execs speak with the media to give the fans something to listen to immediately following the draft.  Anything short of an "endorsement" of some kind will be widely reported as a lack of confidence or even "bashing" of the QB.

Mac is offering up essentially one version of the many nice things teams say about their players this time of year.  

JMO of course

[Jet Fan RI]

3 minutes ago, AFJF said:

It's a multi-billion dollar industry.  Many execs speak with the media to give the fans something to listen to immediately following the draft.  Anything short of an "endorsement" of some kind will be widely reported as a lack of confidence or even "bashing" of the QB.

Mac is offering up essentially one version of the many nice things teams say about their players this time of year.  

JMO of course

True, but this is pretty early for an endorsement, How about after the QB competition?

[ylekram]

15 minutes ago, Jet Fan RI said:

Comment however you would like. As for me, I feel Geno should get another chance. I am intrigued by the fact Geno beat out Fitz for the job last year, then Fitz proceeded to have the best season of his career. And with Fitz holding out for more cash, I don't feel particularly enamored of him anymore.

Of course, Mac might just be playing poker with Fitz. 

 

 

geno beat out fitz soundly for 2 weeks of training camp, while fitz still didn't have his legs under him. coming from a few beat writers in the stands. the 4th "gifted" starting qb position might be the charm for geno

[Powpow]

Attention Starbucks employees:::::Please make sure to make Mac's coffee EXTRA HOT to let Mac know he should bite his tongue when discussing anything that has to do with this albatross.     

[rex-n-effect]

19 minutes ago, Jet Fan RI said:

Failing to say imminent disaster is feared does not require a statement of excitement. How about simple silence? 

Fitz's agent would be quick to remind Mac that he isn't excited about Geno and really needs to pay cash for Fitz.

Saying he's optimistic about other options on the roster gives Fitz's agent nothing to work with.

[Savage69]

48 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

Tired of that dumb assed if you have 2 you have none.  No shlt, if you're flopping back and forth between a couple of QBs is bad.  WTF does that have to do with having a starter like Fitz, a backup and projects? 

+1 Nobody said that when the 49'ers had Montana and Young..  Hell the Pats had Bledsoe and Brady..

[j4jets]

52 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

Tired of that dumb assed if you have 2 you have none.  No shlt, if you're flopping back and forth between a couple of QBs is bad.  WTF does that have to do with having a starter like Fitz, a backup and projects? 

 

[j4jets]

50 minutes ago, PepPep said:

I don't really get why this was posted. What are we to discuss? 

 

 

How Mac answers every question while answering nothing. 

[bitonti]

if the Jets start Geno Smith this season is over before it starts. 

[jmat321]

Mac just has a good sense of humor.  Though it's not always good for your organization, it is quite amusing watching incompetent employees perfect the art of screwing up.  

 

[prime21]

If we cannot afford to meet Fitz's contract demands then he is right in saying that he is excited to see what Geno can do.  Fact is, we should all be excited and scared to see what Geno can do. 

[ChuckkieB]

1 hour ago, Jet Fan RI said:

 

But general manager Mike Maccagnan went on The Michael Kay Show on Monday and stated that he's "excited" to see what Geno can do if he's the starter this season.

“Right now, Geno has been a starter for us, and actually played quite well prior to getting hurt last year, and was doing a good job in the offseason. So we're kind of excited to see what Geno can do, coming back. And we feel good about that.”

 

I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

[AFJF]

27 minutes ago, Jet Fan RI said:

True, but this is pretty early for an endorsement, How about after the QB competition?

Can't do that until we know Fitz's status.  

He's already been named the starter if he returns, and they haven't pulled his offer/is still the priority per Mac.

Might not be a competition to wait for.

 

[JetPotato]

23 minutes ago, bitonti said:

if the Jets start Geno Smith this season is over before it starts. 

Its over.

[j4jets]

33 minutes ago, ylekram said:

geno beat out fitz soundly for 2 weeks of training camp, while fitz still didn't have his legs under him. coming from a few beat writers in the stands. the 4th "gifted" starting qb position might be the charm for geno

Literally speaking, he was full to go in mini camp n then the training camp. He was nowhere near taking the starting job n Geno was lights out last off season (regardless of how you wanna beat the dead horse). 

Metaphorically speaking, Fitz has never had legs under him. 

[jetrider]

And once again Petty is just a blip on the roster whose name is mentioned as a technicality to make the story complete. 

 

[NJ]

[JetBlue]

1 hour ago, Jet Fan RI said:

From cbs sports:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25575786/jets-gm-excited-to-see-what-geno-can-do-if-hes-the-starting-qb

Are you familiar with the saying, "If you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one?" Well, the New York Jets have three quarterbacks, and they're hoping to have four. Do with that what you will.

The Jets have spent the entire offseason dancing around Ryan Fitzpatrick, each hoping the other side will blink in their standstill negotiations. Fitzpatrick put up far better numbers last season than he had over the rest of his career and reportedly wants to be paid in accordance with those numbers, while the Jets want to pay him like last season was an outlier for a joureyman QB that had never previously been more than a below-average starter. And so Fitz has sat on the open market while the Jets spent the offseason withGeno Smith and Bryce Petty as the only quarterbacks on the roster.

Then last week's draft came around, and the Jets added former Penn State passer Christian Hackenberg to the mix. They used their second-round pick on Hackenberg, something teams don't normally do unless that at least view the player as a potential starter. The last second-round pick the Jets spent on a quarterback was on Smith, who wound up starting during his first season as a result of an injury to Mark Sanchez.

Smith started for the team in 2013 and 2014, and entered last offseason as the probable starter yet again, but a punch to the jaw from IK Enemkpali thrust Fitzpatrick into the lineup. He never relinquished the spot, even after Smith returned to the field.

The Jets have spent the entire offseason expressin their wish to bring Fitzpatrick back into the fold, even while refusing to meet his contract demands. Everyone from the coach to the owner to several players has stated they want him back. Add that to the fact that the Jets have drafted a quarterback each of the last two years and it doesn't seem like the have all that much confidence in the idea of "Geno Smith, starting quarterback."

But general manager Mike Maccagnan went on The Michael Kay Show on Monday and stated that he's "excited" to see what Geno can do if he's the starter this season.

“Going forward, you always have contingency plans,” Maccagnan said, per Newsday. “In the NFL, it's kind of like playing chess. At some point in time, you get down to where you run out of moves. We're not at that stage yet.

“Right now, Geno has been a starter for us, and actually played quite well prior to getting hurt last year, and was doing a good job in the offseason. So we're kind of excited to see what Geno can do, coming back. And we feel good about that.”

Smith was the Jets' starter for 29 games across the 2013 and 2014 seasons -- we have a general idea of what he can do. He completed 57.5 percent of his passes at 6.9 yards per attempt while throwing 25 touchdowns against 34 interceptions. New York went 11-18 in those games. That performance is likely what led the Jets to select a QB in the middle rounds of the 2015 draft, hoping to develop him into a potential starter. (The wisdom of that particular strategy notwithstanding.)

 

 

 

Geno Smith got a vote of confidence from his GM. (USATSI)

 

 

 

It also likely factored into the decision to take another QB in the second round just three years after selecting Smith there. So even if Maccagnan is publicly expressed confidence in his ability to be the starter, his actions tell another story. He's spent a bunch of his draft capital on quarterbacks during his two seasons as GM. That's not something you do if you're that confident in the ability of a 25-year old quarterback.

Then again, Maccagnan doesn't seem all that eager to have Hackenberg start right away, either. “With any player coming into the league, it is definitely a maturation process and it doesn't matter, again, what position you play,” Maccagnan said. “I think quarterback is probably one of the harder positions to transition into the NFL. I know there's always a desire to have them go out there and play right away. The reality is, though, that it's going to be determined by how he does.

“And I think, my personal opinion is, we'll see where he's at and how he is in terms of assimilating into our offense and our system . . . Some quarterbacks come in and play right away and some do well and some struggle and they go through growing pains.”

 

Topics: Bryce Petty, Geno Smith, IK Enemkpali, Mark Sanchez, Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets, NFL

This is the kind of sh*t that pisses me off.  I mean no mention of the lack of receiving talent around him his first two years, especially his rookie season or how he improved after coming off his benching in year two.   I mean they talk about Fitz having the best season of his career and yet no mention of Marshall and Decker and the influence of Gailey.  We really don't know how Geno would have done, with those receivers and OC Gailey drawing up the plays. (And before any one  brings up the Oakland game, I don't know what could have been expected with him coming in cold off the bench, missing all preseason and against a team that was playing some inspired football... he still had a statistically, decent game.)

 Add in the fact that he has sat for a year, watching and learning from the sidelines; how could any OBJECTIVE person not be at least interested in what he could do?  Lastly consider the fact that he is going into his final contract year and can see the writing on the wall as far is the Jets are concerned, he has to be super motivated to show another team that he can be a starter in this league.    If folks can just take off the GeNO glasses for a second, they might see why the GM is "excited" to see what Geno could do.... 

[drdetroit]

Geno went 8-8 with the worst roster in the NFL in 2013.  Let's see what he can do with Marshall and Decker and Matt Forte is a good safety valve out of the backfield 

[ylekram]

14 minutes ago, j4jets said:

Literally speaking, he was full to go in mini camp n then the training camp. He was nowhere near taking the starting job n Geno was lights out last off season (regardless of how you wanna beat the dead horse). 

Metaphorically speaking, Fitz has never had legs under him. 

and this is coming from a guy(you) who was at the mini camp and training camp everyday? that would be literally speaking. or was it a few reports, from some beat writers that said geno won the competition today? ya, I read the tweets. you make it sound like geno destroyed fitz everyday. well even if you listen to the beat writers, that's not what they said. same beat writers who stated that geno looked good the year before, too lights out? lol. and no. fitz wasn't "full go" 100% healthy when camp started. he stated as much. you roll with geno "needs 4 gifted years" smith. I will roll with fitz till something better comes along

[Warfish]

3 minutes ago, drdetroit said:

Geno went 8-8 with the worst roster in the NFL in 2013.  Let's see what he can do with Marshall and Decker and Matt Forte is a good safety valve out of the backfield 

He also went 4-12 with almost the exact same roster as Fitz did in 2015, with the exception of Marshall.

Obvious Macc effort to scare Fitz is obvious, and good on Macc for doing it.  Fitz needs to decide soon, and if he doesn't, Macc needs to do it for him.

I like Fitz, but we need to make a decision and move forward.

 

[JustInFudge]

Here we go Geno, here we go!!!

[Mike135]

1 minute ago, Warfish said:

He also went 4-12 with almost the exact same roster as Fitz did in 2015, with the exception of Marshall.

 

Sarcasm?

[Augustiniak]

2 minutes ago, Warfish said:

He also went 4-12 with almost the exact same roster as Fitz did in 2015, with the exception of Marshall.

Obvious Macc effort to scare Fitz is obvious, and good on Macc for doing it.  Fitz needs to decide soon, and if he doesn't, Macc needs to do it for him.

I like Fitz, but we need to make a decision and move forward.

 

the writing on the wall has to be even more ominous for fitz.  it's after the draft, and noone but the jets wanted him before it.  now, fitz has to realize that not only are the jets his only chance to start, it's probably a 1 year rental b/c hack will probably be groomed to take the job next season, whether anyone admits it or not.  fitz has 1 more year of being the presumptive starter in the nfl, before injury.

[JustInFudge]

4 minutes ago, Warfish said:

He also went 4-12 with almost the exact same roster as Fitz did in 2015, with the exception of Marshall.

Obvious Macc effort to scare Fitz is obvious, and good on Macc for doing it.  Fitz needs to decide soon, and if he doesn't, Macc needs to do it for him.

I like Fitz, but we need to make a decision and move forward.

 

Exact same minus -  Todd Bowles, Chan Gailey, James Carpenter, Brandon Marshall, Devin Smith, Kenbrell Tompkins, Quincy Enuwa and now Matt Forte and Khiry Robinson. 

[Warfish]

Just now, JiF said:

Exact same minus -  Todd Bowles, Chan Gailey, James Carpenter, Brandon Marshall, Devin Smith, Kenbrell Tompkins, Quincy Enuwa and now Matt Forte and Khiry Robinson. 

Geno just needs a fair chance, right?  Of course he does.