beyond the back page The Jets can’t afford to forget Geno Smith’s true purpose By Peter Botte Published Sep. 17, 2026, 7:45 a.m. ET Geno Smith led the Jets to a 23-10 win over the Titans in Week 1. AP Photo/John Amis Geno Smith played an efficient and mistake-free game in the Jets’ encouraging season-opening road win against the Titans in what amounted to a best-anyone-could-have-asked-for return performance by the 35-year-old stopgap veteran.
Smith’s strong game doesn’t diminish the team’s long-term uncertainty at the most important position on the field, lest you are already ready to anoint undrafted rookie Cade Klubnik for that role down the line.
Armed with three 2027 first-round draft picks to potentially select one of the top college signal-callers — or trade up for one of them — the more likely scenario remains the Jets’ QB of the future is still in college.
Some pipe-dreamers also will continue to hold out faint hope that a blockbuster trade for an established franchise QB (Joe Burrow, anyone?) could materialize in the offseason, but let’s deal in the reality of the draft before taking that leap.
