Geno Smith Will Have Strong Chance To Earn Jets Starting Job

Geno Smith may still be a bit sore about failing to the second round in the NFL draft last week, but the West Virginia quarterback will nonetheless get a chance to make an immediate impact in the league.

John Idrik, general manager for the New York Jets, said the newly drafted Smith will get a chance to compete for the starting job in training camp. Idrik said that all five quarterbacks remaining on the roster after the team cut Tim Tebow will have a chance to vie for the job.

“Mark’s in the competition,” Idzik said on the Mike & Mike in the Morning show on ESPN Radio. “We fully expect it will help him get better. It’ll help David [Garrard] get better. It’ll help Greg [McElroy]. It’ll help Matt Simms. It’ll certainly help Geno [Smith].”

Idrik wavered on whetherMark Sanchez would even be on the team in the long run. With an aging Garrard and an unproven commodity in McElroy (who failed to impress in his chance as a starter late last year), signs would point to Geno Smith as a strong contender to start for the Jets.

“There’s no guarantee Mark will be our starting quarterback,” said coach Rex Ryan. “That job will have to be earned.”

Though Geno Smith appears to have a good chance to start in the NFL this year, the quarterback still isn’t happy about his draft status. Ranked as the top quarterback prospect, he was once penciled into the top 10 and even seen as a potential No. 1 pick.

Instead he fell to the second round, as the only quarterback picked in the first round was Florida State signal caller E.J. Emanuel by the Buffalo Bills.

Upset by the snub, Geno Smith fired Select Sports, the agency that represented him during the draft process. NFL rules stipulate he must now wait five days before hiring a new agent.