Geno Smith - Pro Football Rumors

AFC East Notes: Jets, Draft, Dolphins, Bills

April 13th, 2015 at 3:11pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets might be ready to move on from Geno Smith, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who says the New York is taking a look at all the quarterback options available in the draft. The Jets like Florida State’s Jameis Winston, but the Buccaneers are expected to either select Winston, or ask for a “king’s ransom” to trade down, per Cole. As such, Gang Green is also interested in Marcus Mariota, Bryce Petty, and Garrett Grayson, among others, so it sounds like Smith might not be in the club’s 2015 plans.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

In addition to quarterbacks, the Jets are taking a look at receivers, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter) reports that the club will have a predraft meeting with Arizona pass-catcher Austin Hill today.
Oregon tackle Jake Fisher is a candidate to be selected near the end of the first round, and he’ll meet with several teams in need of offensive line help, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Fisher has visits lined up with the Dolphins, Bengals, Saints, and Colts, per Garafolo.
With Marcell Dareus heading for free agency after the upcoming season, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com examines whether the Bills could expend an early pick on a defensive tackle.

Jets Met With Josh McCown At Combine

February 18th, 2015 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

We can add the Jets to the list of potential suitors for free agent quarterback Josh McCown. Per Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter), new general manager Mike Maccagnan confirmed that he met with McCown in Indianapolis today, joining the Bills, Browns, and Bears as teams with interest in the former Buccaneer. Head coach Todd Bowles had said during his press conference this afternoon that it’s “possible” the Jets will add a veteran QB to their roster this offseason, and McCown would certainly fit that bill.

Here are several more highlights from Maccagnan’s and Bowles’ conversations with reporters today, with all links going to the Twitter accounts for various scribes in Indy, including Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com:

While a veteran is one possibility, a rookie quarterback is also on the table for the Jets, and Maccagnan confirmed today that the team will meet with both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota at the combine.
Bowles was noncommittal about Geno Smith as New York’s starter, suggesting that he wanted to sit down and talk to Smith before making any decisions. The new head coach didn’t commit one way or the other to Percy Harvin either, telling reporters that the team is still evaluating the situation. Maccagnan said that the Jets will meet with Harvin’s agent at the combine, and hinted that they may ask the wideout to rework his deal.
Maccagnan, who said last month that he anticipates the Jets being “very active” in free agency, took that a step further today, suggesting that the club will potentially be in on one or more big-money players.
Both Bowles and Maccagnan expressed interest in re-signing linebacker David Harris, who is eligible to reach the open market next month.
Asked about positions of need, the new general manager unsurprisingly singled out the cornerback spot as an offseason priority.

AFC East Notes: Pats, Dolphins, Geno, Jets

January 22nd, 2015 at 11:09am CST by Zachary Links

As we head towards the Super Bowl, Deflategate is picking up more and more steam. Today, Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the media and, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, he appeared to subtly point the finger at quarterback Tom Brady for the deflated footballs used in the AFC Championship game against the Colts. “I think we all know that quarterbacks, kickers, specialists have certain preferences on the footballs,” Belichick said. “They know a lot more than I do. They’re a lot more sensitive to it than I am. I hear them comment on it from time to time, but I can tell you and they will tell you that there’s never any sympathy whatsoever from me on that subject. Zero. Tom’s personal preferences on his footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail and information than I could possibly provide.” Brady himself will face the media today at 3pm CT after having his availability moved up from Friday afternoon. More out of the AFC East..

Ron Borges of the Boston Herald wonders how much more Patriots owner Robert Kraft can take when it comes to Belichick’s controversies.
The Dolphins will face some difficult decisions thanks to their salary cap situation, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. There are nearly a dozen players among the 58 under contract that may be either cut or have their salaries renegotiated to give the team an ability to conduct business in free agency and the draft. The Dolphins are slated to be about $3.3MM over the expected cap of $140MM, which roughly the same situation the Patriots are in. The Pats, of course, have gotten better returns on their (over)investment than Miami has.
New Jets coach Todd Bowles won’t commit to Geno Smith as his starting quarterback for 2015. “I think it’s an open slate right now,” Bowles told ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “It won’t be fair to say he is or isn’t the quarterback. Geno obviously is a heck of a football player, but there’s things we’ve got to evaluate and judge as a whole team. It’s not just Geno, it’s everybody. He’s the focus because he’s the quarterback, but everybody is going to be judged the same way. It’s an open slate on everybody coming in.”

Jets Interested In Doug Marrone

January 1st, 2015 at 8:55am CST by Rob DiRe

From the moment Bills‘ head coach Doug Marrone opted out of his contract, he has been linked to another vacant job within the division, with the rival Jets. As Zach Links reported on the fallout from his decision, key parts of the story were the Jets immediately being expected to schedule an interview with Marrone, as well as a report that the coach does not believe in quarterback Geno Smith.

There is mutual interest between the two parties, according to Brian Costello and Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post, and an interview will be scheduled shortly. They noted that Marrone is originally from the Bronx and was an offensive line coach for the Jets under Herm Edwards for four seasons before taking the head coaching job at Syracuse.

Marrone could be a perfect fit for the team, writes Steve Serby of the New York Post. He is a disciplinarian and a no-nonsense guy, according to Serby, and his decision to bench first-round pick EJ Manuel in favor of Kyle Orton almost propelled the team into the playoffs, while Rex Ryan refused to bench Smith, or wasn’t allowed to organizationally.

Serby compares him to a young Tom Coughlin, and notes that he has strong connections to both Coughlin and Saints’ head coach Sean Payton, with whom he built an offensive line good enough to help that team win a Super Bowl.

Jets’ owner Woody Johnson’s consultant Charlie Casserly reportedly loves Marrone, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Casserly has been raving about the former Bills’ coach since he took the job at Syracuse in 2009, according to Cimini’s source.

“He was totally infatuated with him,” the source said. “You have to know Charley: When he gets on something, he’s a pit bull. I know he’s got Woody [Johnson] all lathered up.”

The Jets are still searching for their next general manager as well, but could hire Marrone immediately. The team has already satisfied the Rooney Rule by interviewing assistant head coach/running backs coach Anthony Lynn on Wednesday. If they were to hire Marrone first, he would likely have a say in who the team hires as a general manager to work with him.

Hiring a coach before a general manager puts the power structure of the organization in a very awkward position, according to Cimini. He writes that under that scenario, both of these new hires will likely report directly to the owner, and the system of checks and balances will be out of sorts.

“You might as well take a gun, aim at your foot and shoot twice,” said one longtime NFL personnel executive. “That would be absolutely stupid. As soon as you hire a coach, you have to understand that the GM would no longer be a GM. He’d be an MG. How do you have checks and balances? It seems to me that Woody is making this up as he goes along.”

Costello and Cannizzaro connect Marrone to two possible general manager candidates in Mike Maccagnan and Rick Mueller, both of whom have worked with Marrone before, as a player with the World League’s London Monarchs and as a coach with the Saints, respectively.

The Jets still have a number of interviews scheduled, including three in Seattle on Friday. They will interview Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, offensive line coach Tom Cable, and pro personnel director Trent Kirchner.

Fallout From Doug Marrone Opt Out

December 31st, 2014 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today Doug Marrone shocked many when he opted out of his contract with the Bills. Marrone’s deal included an opt out that still grants him his $4MM salary for 2015 and allows him to pursue other head coaching jobs immediately. The latest on the league’s newest coaching candidate..

A simple stop-gap approach for the Bills would be to elevate defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who did a great job with the defense in 2014, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
If Bill Polian will be part of the future, some expect the Bills to pursue Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich. “Bill loves him,” a source with knowledge of the Polian-Reich relationship told Florio.
The Jets are expected to schedule an interview with Marrone, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes.
Marrone was not a fan of Geno Smith at all in 2013, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
Former GM Buddy Nix, who remains on the Bills’ staff, has a contract that expires next month and he will not be asked back, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter) spoke with one Jets source who wasn’t enthused about the possibility of the team hiring Marrone. “You got rid of Rex Ryan for this?,” the source rhetorically asked.
Joe Buscaglia of WGR (on Twitter) credits the team for not feeling beholden to Marrone just for giving them a winning season.
Bills players took to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction with Marrone, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes.

AFC East Notes: Spikes, Ryan, Tannehill

December 25th, 2014 at 1:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Brandon Spikes‘ four-year tenure with the Patriots came to an end this past offseason, and the linebacker ended up joining the division-rival Bills. Besides his production (Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics rank him as the 12-best inside linebacker), coach Doug Marrone has also been happy with Spikes’ “positive influence.”

“He’s really done a great job for us,” Marrone said (via Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com). “In the locker room, on the field. Helped some of our younger linebackers with Preston Brown and Nigel Bradham playing with Kiko (Alonso) being out. Just helping them, learning how to be a pro, watching film doing those things. He had an outstanding offseason, he was here throughout the whole offseason I think that was important. He was everything we expected him to be.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC East…

Rex Ryan’s tenure with the Jets is likely coming to a close, and Kevin Kernan of the New York Post says the next organization to sign the coach will not be making a mistake. Ryan talked to the media yesterday, revealing the lessons he learned from this season. “That I pretty much can handle anything,’’ he said. “I’m proud of the fact that our guys stayed the course. But it’s been a little humbling to say the least, only winning three games. That’s never happened to me before.”
We learned yesterday that Jets quarterback Geno Smith intended to be his team’s leader for “a long time.” Of course, the second-year pro wasn’t done there. “I see myself helping this team turn things around,” Smith said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini). “Obviously, I’m part of the reason why we’re in this position, so I’d love to be part of the solution.”
While we’ve heard plenty of quotes to suggest Smith is confident, Brian Costello of the New York Post had a quote that suggested the Jets quarterback is also accountable. “I underachieved this year,” Smith told the reporter.
The Dolphins will soon need to make a decision on quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s 2016 option, and the decision will likely show whether the Dolphins believe in the former first-rounder as their future signal-caller. For what it’s worth, Tannehill thought he had one of his best seasons in 2014. “I feel like I’m better all-around,” Tannehill said (via ESPN.com’s James Walker). “I think I’ve grown throughout the season and gotten better each week. The guys around me have been playing well at the same time. When the whole offense elevates its play, it’s easy to get better.”

AFC East Notes: Vick, Wilfork, Clay

December 24th, 2014 at 7:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Michael Vick‘s season in New York likely didn’t go as planned, and the quarterback doesn’t sound like he’s anxious for a return to the Jets next season.

“I don’t know, I couldn’t say right now,” Vick said yesterday (via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). “I’d have to talk to my agent and see what’s the best situation for me. Obviously, this organization has to do what’s best for them. I really can’t say right now, but hopefully I have a chance to play somewhere and continue to give that effort.”

“I still feel like I can start. I still feel like I can play at a high level, like I said. I think with the right talent around me and good structure I feel like I can win some games.

“I still feel like I have a lot left in the tank. I can’t say it’s five years worth, but maybe it’s a good solid two. I’m just going to train for that, get ready for that and set my mindset. If it doesn’t happen and I have to grind my way back up to a starting position, then that’s what it will be. I think at the end of the day my mindset is to just continue to play football. I love the game. I want to continue to play until it’s all out of me.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the division…

One thing you can say about Geno Smith is that the quarterback does not lack confidence. Smith told reporters (including ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) that he envisions himself being the Jets quarterback for “a long time.”
One part of Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork‘s restructured contract called for a $2.5MM boost should the former Pro Bowler play at least 70 percent of the team’s defensive snaps this season. As Tom E. Curran of CSNNewEngland.com points out, if the team decides to sit Wilfork this weekend, he likely won’t reach the required number.
The Bills released Alan Branch in late August, and he caught on with the Patriots soon after. The defensive tackle has played well in New England, but his former coach isn’t bitter about the player’s production for a rival. “I see him playing with a lot of enthusiasm,” Doug Marrone told Curran. “Obviously we’re happy for him. Obviously, you don’t like playing against good football players and Alan’s a very good football player. You see him making plays and you see him out there having fun and he brings a lot of energy and he’s a solid football player and he’s playing well.”
James Walker of ESPN.com says Dolphins tight end Charles Clay wants to stay with Miami. The upcoming free agent told Walker that he’d love to ink a long-term extension, and the writer believes there would be mutual interest. However, both sides may have different opinions on the player’s value.

East Notes: Philbin, Clark, Jets, Vick

December 23rd, 2014 at 3:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Count Jets coach Rex Ryan among those who believes that Joe Philbin deserves to stay on board as Dolphins coach. “I’ll tell you what, it’s obviously great. It’s obviously well-deserved,” Ryan said, according to James Walker of ESPN.com. “He’s a helluva football coach. Obviously, Miami made a great decision bringing him back. I can tell you, going against him, that’s a heck of a football team and that’s a really well-coached team.” Dolphins owner Stephen Ross gave Philbin the endorsement for next season after Miami’s close victory over the Vikings. More from the AFC and NFC East..

Safety Ryan Clark says that he wants to keep playing beyond this season, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (on Twitter). He has yet to have talks with Washington, however.
While sources say no decision has been made on GM John Idzik and Ryan, it is clear Jets owner Woody Johnson is seriously considering cleaning house, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. The Jets are 3-12 heading into their season finale.
Jets quarterback Geno Smith says he’s confident that he’ll be starting for Gang Green in 2015, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). From the outside, it seems likely that the Jets will at least explore other options under center.
As we’ve heard earlier, Jets quarterback Michael Vick says that he has “a good, solid two years” left in his career (via Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com on Twitter).

New York Notes: Decker, Coughlin, Rolle

December 2nd, 2014 at 12:02pm CST by Luke Adams

While Eric Decker‘s wife says the Jets‘ losing ways have left her husband feeling “depressed,” Decker himself admits that he’s disappointed by the team’s 2-10 record, but doesn’t regret his choice to leave the Broncos in free agency, as Jane McManus of ESPN.com details.

“I don’t second-guess my choice at all,” Decker said. “The New York Jets wanted me to come here and Denver didn’t. So I was excited about coming here and I wouldn’t have done anything differently.”

Here’s more on the NFL’s two New York teams, as the Jets and Giants stagger toward the 2014 finish line:

The Giants‘ loss in Jacksonville on Sunday has accelerated speculation that Tom Coughlin‘s time with the team is nearing an end, and the head coach is willing to blame himself for the team’s failings. “I accept the full responsibility and whatever price has to be paid for that responsibility then it starts right here with me,” Coughlin said, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
George Willis of the New York Post disagrees with Tony Dungy‘s suggestion that the Giants will be starting a “long-term rebuilding process” this offseason. In Willis’ view, GM Jerry Reese needs to spend on defense and perhaps to shore up the offensive line, but the club has plenty of offensive playmaking talent.
Giants safety Antrel Rolle doesn’t know whether or not he’ll return to the team next year, but said today on WFAN in New York that he has “a lot left in the tank” (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News).
The Jets‘ brain trust wants to further evaluate Geno Smith down the stretch, but they won’t learn much if the offense’s game plan continues to marginalize the QB as much as it did last night, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Meanwhile, Steve Serby of New York Post suggests that the Jets‘ decision to treat Smith with kid gloves is doing the quarterback – and the team – no favors.
In a separate article for the New York Post, Serby makes the case for pursuing 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh to replace Rex Ryan. Mike Vaccaro of the Post provides the counterpoint, explaining why it would be ill-advised for the Jets to gamble on Harbaugh.
The Jets should use the last four games of the season to take a look at some younger players – rather than veterans – all over the field, not just at quarterback, writes Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Patriots, Bills

November 27th, 2014 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers! While today’s slate of NFL action doesn’t include any AFC teams, there’s still some news coming out of the conference, so let’s check in on the AFC East to start the day….

It came as a bit of a surprise that Geno Smith was named the Jets‘ starting quarterback this week over Michael Vick, since the team’s coaching staff was believed to prefer the veteran. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News confirms that offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was among several people in the organization, including many players, who wanted to continue playing Vick.
Head coach Rex Ryan also would have preferred to stick with Vick, but acquiesced with Jets management to avoid rocking the boat during what will likely be his last few weeks with the organization, according to Mehta. Sources tell the Daily News scribe that Ryan “wants to take the high road” before looking for his next job.
Kevin Kernan of the New York Post outlines why, in his view, the Jets had to give Smith a second chance to run the offense.
Sunday afternoon’s Packers/Patriots showdown looks like the best game of Week 13 and a potential Super Bowl preview. As Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald writes, the Pats are built for such a matchup with the pass-happy Packers after adding cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner in the offseason.
A healthy inactive on Monday against the Jets, Bills wideout Marquise Goodwin now faces more competition from recent waiver pickup Marcus Thigpen, but tells Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News that he’s “just going to prepare and work hard and that’s it.” A third-round pick in 2013, Goodwin’s days in Buffalo may be numbered.