The Minnesota Vikings are in QB hell, and the New York Jets could be the team to save them.
Longtime NFL media personality Dan Hanzus posted on X, “Geno Smith to the Vikings with a third-rounder going back to the Jets. Who says no?”
After starting the season 6-0, the Vikings have now lost two straight contests. Kyler Murray is dealing with a serious hamstring injury, and before he got hurt, Minnesota’s passing game wasn’t working. According to ESPN, the Vikings have the 31st-ranked passing offense in the NFL.
To end Week 9, the Vikings turned to veteran passer Carson Wentz. It didn’t go well. Wentz completed 32% of his passes (8-of-25) for 81 passing yards with zero passing touchdowns and two interceptions.
Insider Shares Info on Smith Trade Calls
The Jets have received trade calls on Smith ahead of the Tuesday, November 10 deadline.
NFL Insider Tom Pelissero confirmed that on the “Ringer NFL Show.” However, he said the Jets have said “no” to any potential inquiry.
“I don’t anticipate it. I don’t believe Geno Smith is going anywhere,” Pelissero explained.
Now Pelissero did leave the door open for a potential move, even if it is considered unlikely.
“Almost everybody’s got a price. Jeffery Simmons was unavailable until he was available because someone offered two first-round picks plus a fourth-rounder for him. Is it possible that happens here? I guess. Almost any player not named Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes in the whole NFL [could be had at the right price],” Pelissero added.
The Jets originally acquired Smith in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders during the offseason.
New York sent a 2026 sixth-rounder to Las Vegas in exchange for Smith and a 2026 seventh-rounder. All it cost was a late-round pick swap. To make matters even better, the Raiders agreed to pay $16.2 million of his salary, which means the Jets were only on the hook for $3.3 million, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
Plenty of people laughed at this unlikely Smith Jets reunion, but the former West Virginia product has had a terrific individual statistical season in 2026.
He has completed 67.5% of his passes, has thrown for 2,078 passing yards, and owns a 12 touchdown to 3 interception ratio. Smith is on pace to shatter several single-season franchise records for the Jets.
The only problem is the Jets are 2-7 through the first nine weeks of the season. With a looming home game against the red-hot Buffalo Bills, it appears 2-8 might not be that far away. So the theory is, if you’re losing anyway, why not get an asset for Smith?
The Reason Not to Do It
What kind of message would that send to your locker room with half the season remaining if you ship off your starting quarterback and team captain? I’ll answer that question: you’d be waving the white flag.
While some of you reading this may say, “Hey, buddy, read the room, the season is over at 2-7.”
I won’t push back, but the players still have to go out there for eight more games. Smith gives them a fighting chance. Outside of two blowout losses to the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively, the Jets have been in every game so far this season.
If you remove Smith from the equation, that might no longer be possible. Let’s put winning aside for a moment; the other reason to keep Smith is that he gives you a chance to properly evaluate these other weapons on offense.
If you throw rookie Cade Klubnik out there, can he get the ball consistently to his intended targets? Only the Jets know the answer to that question from practice and seeing him behind the scenes.
Jets Pushed to Trade Geno Smith to Desperate NFC Team After Loss