Of all the jobs on the line for the New York Jets, the only guaranteed return seems to be Geno Smith. The second-year quarterback may or may not be the starter next season, but he will be back. As the Jets sit at 3-13 on the season poised for a top draft pick, the franchise is preparing to undergo plenty of changes in the near future. Many assume one of those will be in the form of their head coach, something Smith says might be good for the Jets.
Rex Ryan's seat is very hot and while plenty of Jets players are speaking out in support of their head coach, Smith does not appear to be one of them. Having gone through a coaching change while the quarterback at West Virginia, Smith says it could help spark the team if everyone looks at it the right way.
"It's all about what you make of it. I think the toughest part about it is not being able to continue to play for the same coach, the same guy that you learned to love, you invest so much in, and you believe (in) them," Smith said, via ESPN.com "To reset and re-adjust is a tough thing to do, but we're professionals and we have to do it. Change could be good for us all, so if it happens -- when it happens -- then we'll see."
Rumors have been flying that both Ryan and John Idzik could get fired at the end of the year meaning there is no one left in Smith's corner. This could be good or bad for the quarterback that has struggled heavily in his second year with the team. The Jets will likely earn a top-five draft pick in 2015 and a new coach and general manager could opt to spend that on a quarterback. Michael Vick will not return and Smith needs to be challenged.
A number of NFL sources including Manish Mehta at the New York Daily News believe the Jets will push to try and acquire Marcus Mariota, but that will likely take some dealing to get done. The Jets could try and bring in another free agent who is already NFL ready to help push Smith as well. Vick is not likely to return, but someone like Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallett could be a quality option if the Jets want to use their first-round pick on anther position.
