Quarterback Battles: New York Jets

In todays Quarterback Battle, we examine the New York Jets. Expect them to have several intriguing options for the starting job heading into the 2015 season. Can Geno Smith win back his old job, or will a fourth round rookie sweep it out from under him?

Lets examine some of rookie head coach Todd Bowles’s options in 2015 at the quarterback position for the Jets.

Geno Smith

Todd Bowles backed off on offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s comments that “right now, Geno is the starter.” Bowles says that while they will not hand Smith the job, he will get the first teams reps in OTA’s and training camp as the presumptive starter. It’s the former West Virginia quarterbacks job to lose at the moment. Smith has not lived up to the potential the Jets saw when they took him with the 39th overall pick in 2013, and has been benched multiple times throughout his less than stellar NFL career. He currently sits with a 71.5 QBR with 29 NFL starts under his belt.

Bryce Petty

Who knows what to expect from Bryce Petty. The fourth round pick out of Baylor is now getting a bigger opportunity with the sudden release of Matt Simms (literally right when I was writing this portion). Most expect him to take a couple of years to learn the basics of the huddle and the rest of the NFL game, but don’t be surprised to see him get a chance in 2015. Expect him to be the third string QB, barring any injuries or trades involving Smith or Fitzpatrick.

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Todd Bowles traded for the veteran passer prior to drafting Petty, but the 32-year-old’s presence should help both Smith and Petty develop into better overall quarterbacks. That Harvard education won’t hurt either. While he is still limited after suffering a broken leg last season, Fitzpatrick is getting his chances at Jets OTAs. Last year in his tenth season, the former Texan finished with a 63.1 completion percentage and a 95.3 QBR. If the Jets do decide to cut ties with Smith and name Fitzpatrick the franchises placeholder starter, expect him to have success with Devin Smith, Eric Decker, and Brandon Marshall.

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