Geno On Jets' Impending Training Camp Competition: 'I Don't Feel Any Pressure'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Geno Smith sounds like someone without a care in the world, which is odd considering the microscope he'll be under in a few short weeks.
The embattled third-year quarterback knows its his starting job to lose when the Jets open training camp later this month at their facility in Florham Park, New Jersey.
Given the rocky start to Smith's NFL career, one would think he'd be a bit concerned about what's to come.
Not so, apparently.
"I don't feel any pressure," Smith told the team's official website on Wednesday from his youth football camp in Boonton, New Jersey. "The key thing is that going into camp, going in with the right mindset. I feel like we have a lot of room for improvement, but I love the way we're working and competing. To have guys around me that are so, so good, it takes all the pressure off of me."
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The team's new general manager, Mike Maccagnan, and head coach, Todd Bowles, have maintained an open mind about the starting quarterback job all offseason, including trading for veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who knows new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's offense, and drafting Baylor star Bryce Petty.
Smith said he's taking a may-the-best-man-win approach to camp.
"I'm in competition with myself to try and be perfect. I'm in competition with Ryan, I'm in competition with Bryce, all the guys out there, the defense," Smith said Thursday. "I'm in competition with the guys on the offense. We all want to try and perfect our game, and we're all going to set the standard high and try and hold each other accountable."
Coming off two underwhelming seasons to begin his NFL career, it appears Smith will try just about anything at this point to win over his teammates.
He said he's holding a version of Mark Sanchez's "Jets West" voluntary passing camp in Chicago prior to the beginning of training camp.
Smith said the camp is being held in the "Windy City" to accommodate new wide receiver Brandon Marshall, whose wife recently gave birth to twins.
"Yes, we will all be getting together," Smith told the New York Post. "It's about a month from us reporting for camp, so it's very important for us to continue to build on what we ended with back in minicamp."
He said the passing camp is open to all of the quarterbacks on the Jets' roster, though it's not known who will actually show up.
