Jets Bring Back Former QB Geno Smith in Trade with Raiders

The New York Jets have completed a trade to reacquire quarterback Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders, marking his return to the team that originally drafted him in 2013. The 35-year-old quarterback will take over as the starter for a Jets team looking to bounce back from a disappointing 3-14 season.

The New York Jets have completed a trade to bring back quarterback Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders, according to a source familiar with the deal who spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Smith, who the Jets originally selected in the second round of the 2013 draft, is returning to New York along with a seventh-round draft pick. In exchange, the Jets are sending a sixth-round selection to Las Vegas. The transaction cannot become official until the new league year begins Wednesday.

The move gives the Jets their new starting quarterback as they look to improve after finishing 3-14 in head coach Aaron Glenn’s first season. ESPN has reported that Smith and the Jets have agreed to restructure his contract, which previously had two years and $66 million remaining.

For Las Vegas, the trade allows them to receive compensation for a player they likely would have released anyway. The Raiders are expected to target Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is widely projected to be selected first overall in the upcoming NFL draft. The additional draft pick gives Las Vegas 11 total selections in this year’s draft.

Smith’s departure from Las Vegas comes after a difficult season where he was sacked 55 times and threw 17 interceptions, both league-high totals. The struggles came despite reuniting with former Seattle coach Pete Carroll, who had brought Smith to the Raiders but was subsequently fired after the season.

The 35-year-old quarterback will now work under offensive coordinator Frank Reich, whom Glenn hired in January. Smith will have talented weapons at his disposal, including wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who is recovering from a knee injury, and running back Breece Hall, who recently received the franchise tag after surpassing 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his four-year career.

With Smith’s arrival, Justin Fields, who started nine games for the Jets last season, will likely move to a backup role or potentially be released. The team’s quarterback room currently includes Brady Cook, who struggled in four starts as a rookie to end the season, and Bailey Zappe, with Tyrod Taylor set to become a free agent.

This represents another chapter in Smith’s lengthy NFL journey. He originally became the Jets’ starter as a rookie when Mark Sanchez suffered a preseason shoulder injury. His initial tenure in New York ended dramatically in 2015 when teammate IK Enemkpali broke his jaw during a locker room altercation in training camp.

Following his Jets departure, Smith played for the Giants, where he made headlines by ending Eli Manning’s 210-game consecutive starts streak when coach Ben McAdoo chose him as the starter against the Raiders. After tearing his ACL in 2016, Smith spent time with the Chargers before finding success in Seattle.

Under Carroll’s guidance with the Seahawks, Smith revitalized his career, initially backing up Russell Wilson before taking over as the starter in 2022. That season, he earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors after throwing a career-high 30 touchdown passes and leading Seattle to three straight winning seasons.

Throughout his career, the two-time Pro Bowl selection has accumulated 22,168 passing yards with 124 touchdowns and 89 interceptions, including 28 touchdown passes during his original stint with the Jets.

Smith becomes the second former Jets player to return to the organization this week. The team also agreed to terms with linebacker Demario Davis on a two-year, $22 million contract with $15 million guaranteed. Davis, originally a Jets third-round pick in 2012, spent the past eight seasons with the New Orleans Saints.

Prior to acquiring Smith, the Jets had concentrated on defensive improvements during the early free agency period. They completed a trade for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from Miami and added linebacker Davis, defensive tackle David Onyemata, and edge rushers Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare.