At 35 and in 14th season, Jets' Geno Smith has Frank Reich seeing a QB in his prime 'like he's 28'

(AP) — Frank Reich had to think for a second while raving — again — about Geno Smith, pondering the New York Jets quarterback’s age. Isn’t he past 35?,” the offensive coordinator asked Friday before being told Smith is actually 35. I’m telling you, it feels like physically, I see no … like, he is in his prime, physically.” Not bad for a quarterback entering his 14th NFL season, a journey that began as a second-round draft pick of the Jets in 2013 and has included several ups and downs on the field along the way.

“Like his arm, the way he moves, his feet in the pocket, he’s physically in his prime,” said Reich, in his first season running the Jets’ offense. “So he takes great care of himself and that’s going to help this team.” New York certainly hopes so. The Jets acquired Smith in the offseason from Las Vegas to add a veteran quarterback to an offense that struggled mightily during a 3-14 season.

The Jets ranked last or near the bottom in several offensive categories as the likes of Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor and Brady Cook took turns calling the signals for then-coordinator Tanner Engstrand. Their 8 yards per completion was the lowest mark in the NFL, and that’s something that’s expected to improve significantly. Smith has always been able to stretch the field, especially during three straight seasons of at least 3,500 yards passing in Seattle from 2022-24.

He threw for 3,025 last year in a down season with Las Vegas that included an NFL-leading 17 interceptions. Back with the Jets, Smith has had a mostly good training camp. And he has thoroughly impressed Reich, who said during minicamp that the quarterback has an “elite” football mind.

Reich was back gushing about Smith on Friday. “He’s the leader of the offense, make no mistake about it, in every way, shape and form. And to me, what has become crystal clear in this early time in training camp, the attribute that sticks out to me is his laser focus.

This man is laser focused like people don’t understand. Like, he comes to work and he is locked in. “And I feel like the whole offense plays off of that.