Rex Ryan says he's happy for Mark Sanchez; Geno Smith might be QB rest of the season
Jets quarterback Geno Smith looks on before a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 16, 2014 in Foxboro, Mass. Credit: Getty Images / Jared Wickerham
For the first time in a while, Rex Ryan had reason to gush about a quarterback Friday.
Too bad it was Mark Sanchez.
Ryan spent his Thanksgiving evening sitting by the television watching his former quarterback help his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles, cruise past the Dallas Cowboys.
Ryan thought Sanchez looked "tremendous" and "terrific," words he hasn't used to discuss the play of a quarterback in quite some time.
But while Ryan said he's happy for him, the sight of Sanchez succeeding hasn't made Ryan interested in revisiting the decision to let him go in favor of Geno Smith. "Shoot, that's in the past," Ryan said.
You certainly don't need to tell the Jets that developing a young quarterback in the NFL is hardly an exact science.
Just as Sanchez looks like a seasoned pro in his career's second act, the Jets' quarterback situation remains murky at best. This week, they have officially reinserted Smith in relief of Michael Vick as a means to see whether he has a future in this league.
Ryan said after Friday's practice that he "would anticipate" Smith being the starter for the final five games of this lost season, beginning Monday night against the Miami Dolphins. Ryan also praised Smith for "how sharp he was mentally" during practice.
"We'll see how it translates," Ryan said, "but I will say from a mental standpoint, the preparation, he's right on top of it."
But Smith has looked overmatched on the field in his second year. His 67.4 rating ranks last in the league. But after a month of Smith watching from the sideline, the Jets decided they're better off in the long run with him on the field.
"Everybody develops at different paces," offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. "I know we all, the fans -- and certainly I -- would have liked to see the development happen much quicker. It hasn't quite happened like that . . . There have been some fantastic quarterbacks develop in two, three, four years even, and even more."
Smith said he feels "a lot more comfortable now than I was maybe a few weeks before." But he knows that statement carries little weight with anyone, especially Jets brass, considering how poorly he played before he was benched. "Obviously, you've got to go out there and prove it on the field," he said.
Still, the Jets' decision to go back to Smith raised some eyebrows in the locker room, with some players openly questioning the decision.
Notes & quotes: Muhammad Wilkerson doesn't expect to play Monday because of turf toe -- "It's probably my first time ever missing a game," he said -- and he doesn't know when he will return. But Wilkerson said he was told he doesn't need surgery. He's in a walking boot.
Jim Baumbach is an award-winning investigative reporter at Newsday, where he has worked since 1998. He spent two decades in the sports department, where he covered every professional team and league, including events such as the Super Bowl and World Series.
