Smith in, Sanchez out for the Jets?
The New York Jets added to their burgeoning collection of quarterbacks in the NFL Draft, after selecting former West Virginia star Geno Smith in the second round.
With speculation suggesting that the franchise are growing tired of the constant disappointment surrounding Mark Sanchez, and despite requiring players in other positions, the Jets grabbed Smith on the second day of the Draft.
Having considered picking him up in the first round, they eventually secured him in the second with the 39th overall pick.
While the Smith-Sanchez debate will now run until the start of the new season, it is easy to forget that the Jets now have six quarterbacks on the roster.
Joining the pair are Tim Tebow, David Garrard, Greg McElroy and Matt Simms, and general manager John Idzik now has some decisions on his hands over who to cut and potentially save on the salary cap.
“What this means for Mark Sanchez is competition. And Mark is open to that. We’ve had discussions about that and I think he buys into the fact that that helps him. It helps any player on the team and, as a result, it helps our team,” Idzik told the media as reported by NFL.com.
Despite Idzki’s words of comfort for Sanchez, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Friday that the Jets are considering releasing him, although the financial consequences may put them off such a move.
As for Smith, he endured an agonizing two-day wait despite being tipped by various experts and analysts as a top 10 pick.
He will now look forward to starting his league career in New York and fighting for a starting role, at the expense of the much maligned Sanchez.
While Smith undoubtedly represents the future, he could perhaps become the present for the Jets who did plenty of research before snapping up the 22-year-old.
Smith was prolific as a three-year starter for West Virginia, throwing for 42 touchdowns and only six interceptions last season. Despite negative feedback in some pre-Draft reports, the Jets have shown faith in the youngster to deliver on the big stage.
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