Do the Jets have the worst starting quarterback in the NFL?
According to a new ESPN poll, they do. Jets starter Geno Smith came in 32nd, dead last, in the league in a poll of 26 NFL insiders. ESPN spoke with coaches, general managers and other executives and had them rank the league’s starting quarterbacks on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being the best.
Smith’s 4.48 average was the worst in the group, lower than such legends as Matt Cassel, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Chad Henne.
Here is what ESPN’s write-up on Smith said:
“It’s too early to write off Smith. Some coaches in particular had a hard time placing any QBs in the fifth tier. To them, a Tier 5 QB would be a backup, not a starter.
‘Would a five be an Akili Smith or JaMarcus Russell?” one coordinator asked. “I think the way Geno Smith played last year was close to that. He was a rookie and he struggled and some of his reads were poor, but I would give him a four.’
‘He is young enough to make a move,’ a pro personnel evaluator said.”
Smith committed 25 turnovers and was the lowest-rated passer in the NFL last year as a rookie, but he showed promise in the final month of the season when he began running the ball more and made better decisions.
The Jets brought in Michael Vick to back up Smith this offseason and he could replace Smith if he struggles.
This ranking surely will be a battle cry for Jets coach Rex Ryan, who loves slights from the media. Last year, ESPN ranked the Jets as the worst team in the NFL before the season. Ryan and the players referenced it throughout the campaign as they surprised people by going 8-8.
Count on this: If Smith has a good game in Week 1 against the Raiders, Ryan’s postgame press conference will feature a line like, “Not bad for the worst quarterback in the NFL.”