Report: Rex Ryan, Jets decision makers ready to 'move on' from Mark Sanchez
Geno Smith is expected to start the Jets' opener, while Mark Sanchez deals with a shoulder injury (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
The Mark Sanchez era in New York Jets history may soon be coming to an end.
Jets head coach Rex Ryan, general manager John Idzik and other key decision makers within the organization are "on board with moving on from" the former first-round pick as the team's starting quarterback, the New York Daily News' Manish Mehtais reporting.
Ryan believes Sanchez's primary competition, rookie second-round pick Geno Smith, is the "better option when healthy," according to the report.
Smith is expected to start the team's season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Sanchez will likely be unable to play with a deep shoulder bruise suffered during last week's preseason game.
From the report:
The Jets were so impressed with Smith in the first couple weeks of training camp that Ryan was set to name him the Week 1 starter before the rookie suffered an ankle injury in the preseason opener.
The original plan was to start Smith against the Jaguars in the second preseason game. Ryan, who will have final say after collaborating with Idzik, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, quarterbacks coach David Lee and others, was poised to declare Smith the winner in the quarterback competition as long as he didn't implode against Jacksonville, according to sources.
However, the Jets made the mistake of having Smith practice all week in the run-up to the game. Smith didn't play after his ankle predictably didn't get better that week.
Sanchez, the No. 5 pick in the 2009 draft out of USC, has posted a 71.7 QB rating in his four seasons as the Jets' starter, throwing 68 touchdowns and 69 interceptions. He led the team to two consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances, both losses, in his first two seasons.
Smith has completed 23 of 37 pass attempts for 246 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in two preseason games.
