The more the New York Jets win, the more Geno Smith's future comes into question. The Jets will have some decisions to make in the offseason and the biggest one might have to be with the quarterback position. All season, Ryan Fitzpatrick has been proving that age is merely just a number and he can continue to put the Jets in position to win. Meanwhile, Smith sits on the bench wondering what would have been had he not been punched in the chin.
The praise keeps coming for Fitzpatrick as head coach Todd Bowles is making it clear he wants the quarterback around for the long-term. After getting a nice win over the Tennessee Titans, Bowles responded with "definitely" when asked about keeping Fitzpatrick for another season. The quarterback's contract is expiring at the end of this season and the Jets have no plans of letting the veteran head elsewhere after the success of this year. According to Fitzpatrick, he and Jets are a good match.
"That's been my whole career: I've been the afterthought," Fitzpatrick said, via ESPN.com. "I've gotten used to it. It's kind of what everybody thinks. I like playing the role of the underdog. That's fine with me. I just want to go out there and win. That's it. It's interesting the way that all the stars have aligned."
With Fitzpatrick likely getting a new contract in the offseason, the Jets must decide what to do with Smith. The quarterback has been sitting on the bench despite getting named the starter in training camp. Smith has no trade value right now. According to the New York Daily News, the Jets might opt to do nothing with Smith at all and simply keep the rotation in place for next year. New York has been very non-committal on Smith since Fitzpatrick started winning games, but since he is signed to a team-friendly contract, he would be easy to keep around and try to develop for one more year.
The Jets will have a lot of contract decisions to make in the offseason. Along with Fitzpatrick, top running back Chris Ivory will need a new deal. Given the success he has had this year, Ivory could command a big deal, but given there is no one behind him, the Jets would be wise to bring the rusher back in 2016. The same can be said for Muhammad Wilkerson who will be looking to break the bank as well.
For the short-term, the Jets are focused on the playoffs. According to ESPN, rookie Devin Smith tore his ACL and will be out for the remainder of the season. That will push Jeremy Kerley's role with the team as Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall carry the workload. As long as Fitzpatrick has those two running down the field, the Jets should be fine.
