13 years is a very long time to hold a narrative. When Geno Smith walked again by means of the doorways of the Atlantic Well being Jets facility this spring, he did in order a person who had earned that stroll. Drafted right here in 2013, punched within the face by a teammate on this constructing, booed off this discipline, and ultimately discarded, he spent the years that adopted clawing by means of the Giants, the Chargers, and at last Seattle, the place Pete Carroll handed him a lifeline no person else would.
He led the league in completion share in 2024, profitable the Comeback Participant of the Yr award within the course of. He made back-to-back Professional Bowls earlier than a traditionally down yr behind a porous offensive line in Las Vegas noticed his inventory plummet. Now, nonetheless, he’s again within the Massive Apple, flanked by three first-round rookies, David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper, arriving at a franchise that simply endured a depressing 2025 season with Justin Fields below heart.
Smith referred to as it “a complete full circle moment back to where it all began.” It might be cathartic for the veteran QB, however the AFC East is extra cutthroat than ever, with Drake Maye now alongside Josh Allen with regards to the most effective quarterback within the AFC discuss. So, the place does the Jets’ new gunslinger rank alongside the AFC East’s beginning quarterbacks? Let’s have a look.
Josh Allen – Payments
Josh Allen confirmed as much as Joe Brady’s introductory press convention on crutches in a strolling boot, and someway that picture captures every little thing concerning the Buffalo Payments sensation in 2025. He performed by means of a damaged bone in his proper foot. He threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns in an AFC Divisional Spherical loss to Denver. He completed the season as the one participant in soccer to mix 3,000-plus passing yards with 500-plus dashing yards, 4,247 whole yards, 39 whole touchdowns, an 87.4 PFF grade rating sixth amongst 43 certified quarterbacks. He was named an MVP finalist for the fifth time. And nonetheless the Payments went dwelling in January in arguably their most heartbreaking playoff loss of all of them.
Allen has now scored 40 or extra whole touchdowns in 5 consecutive seasons, a feat no quarterback in NFL historical past had managed greater than three years operating. He hasn’t thrown fewer than 28 landing passes since 2019. He’s, by any affordable measure, one of many two or three finest quarterbacks alive. He additionally doesn’t have a Tremendous Bowl, however on-line betting websites, as they seemingly do yearly, assume that the lengthy watch for the Lombardi may nicely come to an finish in 2026.
The newest odds from Fortunate Insurgent make Allen and the Payments a +1000 second-favorite to win Tremendous Bowl LX subsequent February. Not solely that, however they’re additionally clear -130 betting favorites to win the AFC East as nicely. A lot of these hopes, as ever, fall on Allen’s shoulders.
Drake Maye – Patriots
A yr in the past, Drake Maye was a promising teenager heading into his second season on a rebuilding group. Now, he’s the explanation the Patriots reached Tremendous Bowl LX, and he’s 23 years outdated.
His 2025 numbers weren’t simply good. They have been traditionally good. A 90.1 PFF grade, third amongst 43 certified quarterbacks. 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, 8 interceptions throughout 601 dropbacks. He led your complete NFL in EPA per play, completion share at 72.0%, and yards per try at 8.9. He completed as runner-up to Matthew Stafford for MVP. New England went 14-3, received the AFC East, and fell to Seattle 29-13 at Tremendous Bowl LX. Maye wanted a pain-killing injection in his throwing shoulder earlier than kickoff and nonetheless performed.
For a lot of, that already places him forward of Allen. In spite of everything, he ripped the divisional title away from the Payments star final season earlier than then happening to succeed in the Massive Recreation in simply his second yr, one thing Allen continues to be ready to do after seven straight bitter playoff exits. We’ve sided with the 2024 MVP’s longevity over the simple brilliance of Maye, but when he leads the Patriots to a different AFC East title this season, he might nicely unquestionably be the most effective quarterback within the division in 12 months’ time.
Geno Smith – Jets
He’s 35. He threw 17 interceptions in 15 video games for a Las Vegas group that completed 3-14 in his begins. His passer ranking was 84.7. A few of that was the Raiders, weak roster, poor safety, genuinely troublesome circumstances, however movie doesn’t lie, and the movie from 2025 was onerous to clarify away. Determination-making that recalled his earliest Jets years. Presents to opposing secondaries {that a} quarterback along with his expertise shouldn’t be making.
And but. The Jets despatched a sixth-round decide to get him again for a cause, and that cause is greater than sentiment. Smith is a bridge quarterback for a group in full rebuild mode, and that’s exactly what this offseason required, somebody to carry the place, shield the rookies round him, and maintain the franchise aggressive sufficient that the rebuild doesn’t collapse below its personal weight.
Aaron Glenn has “no doubt” Smith is QB1. Breece Corridor continues to be right here. Three first-rounders are coming. A Wild Card berth could be an overachievement. The true query, whether or not his 2025 collapse was situational or terminal, received’t be answered till October. The identical metropolis that after destroyed his confidence is now asking him to rebuild one thing. That’s a heavy ask. It may also be the absolute best ending.
Malik Willis – Dolphins
The Dolphins misplaced every little thing over the course of the final yr. Tua Tagovailoa was benched and in the end launched for a record-setting lifeless cap hit. Tyreek Hill gone. Jaylen Waddle gone. Mike McDaniel fired. Chris Grier dismissed mid-season. Into that wreckage walked Jeff Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan, each arriving from Inexperienced Bay, and so they instantly handed Malik Willis, Jordan Love’s backup, 22 profession video games, 1,322 yards, 6 touchdowns, a three-year, $67.5 million contract and the keys to a franchise in freefall.
Miami made Willis’s signature their prime precedence within the offseason, regardless of Exhausting Rock Stadium seemingly falling aside on the seams. One projection has Miami profitable 2.5 video games in opposition to the second-toughest schedule in soccer, projecting Willis for 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His 2025 pattern in Inexperienced Bay was genuinely encouraging, 85.7% completion price, a 93.1 QBR, an excellent recreation in opposition to Baltimore, however 4 video games of backup work just isn’t a resume. 2026 needs to be the yr he builds one, or a profession as a perennial backup lies in wait.
