Fansided

Should Jets’ try Geno Smith-Michael Vick QB Tandem?

By Henry McKenna

Jul 24, 2014; Cortland, NY, USA; New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick (1) passes the ball as quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks on during training camp at SUNY Cortland. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 24, 2014; Cortland, NY, USA; New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick (1) passes the ball as quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks on during training camp at SUNY Cortland. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Geno Smith was the starter for scrimmages in training camp on Saturday. However, Michael Vick demonstrated his time-honored tradition of running the football — and getting yards doing it. Thus, ESPN New York reporter Rich Cimini wondered whether the Jets’ might use Vick’s skill to their advantage by starting Smith and subbing Vick in for a change of pace.

More from Miscellaneous

“I just wanted to see how I was going to move,” Vick said to Cimini. “You always want to test your instincts, and you never know what the feel of the game is going to be, or how you’re going to react to certain blitzes and pressure. I felt I moved real well in the pocket. I had some nice runs and, hopefully, that will transfer over onto the field.”

But just because he can run, doesn’t mean it should be his only role on the offense — it doesn’t mean that his running abilities should be utilized at all.

Cimini presents both sides of playing two quarterbacks:

"No doubt, the mere mention of the word “Wildcat” causes Jets fans to cringe, but it wouldn’t be the Wildcat, technically, unless they keep Geno Smith in the game and direct-snap it to Vick. It probably would make more sense to replace Smith with Vick, letting him run the read-option. Obviously, Smith is capable of running the read-option — he did it a lot last season — but he’s not in Vick’s league as a ballcarrier.There are two downsides: It could disrupt Smith’s rhythm and perhaps mess with his confidence, knowing he has to share time with Vick. (Mark Sanchez could write a thesis on the subject.) It also exposes Vick to injury, and we all know he’s not the most durable guy around."

He also makes reference to the epic failure of the Jets’ previous experimentation with a change-of-pace quarterback. That, in itself, should serve as the Jets caveat for using Vick as a change of pace. There’s so little to gain and so much to lose. It’s never going to happen.