The New York Jets have a couple of familiar faces in quarterback Geno Smith
and guard Dylan Parham, adding some intrigue to the Las Vegas Raiders’ Week 8 matchup on Sunday. To preview the game for Raider Nation, Silver and Black Pride reached out to our friends at Gang Green Nation, and MacGregor Wells was kind enough to answer a few questions about the Jets.Q: Geno Smith had a short and underwhelming stay in Las Vegas last year, but it seems like he’s having a better season this year. What are the
reviews on the 2013 second-round pick in his return to New York?
A: I think Geno has benefitted from a better situation with the Jets more than anything else. Not that the Jets are some model franchise, but the 2025 Raiders seemed to have a bad offensive line and few options in the passing game other than Brock Bowers, who was hobbled by injuries for a good portion of the season.
The 2026 Jets have an average-ish offensive line and multiple weapons to throw to, including Garrett Wilson, 1st-round rookie WR Omar Cooper Jr., who is off to a great start to his career, fellow 1st-round rookie TE Kenyon Sadiq and second-year TE Mason Taylor. For the first time in a very long time, the Jets have a good set of weapons to throw to, and it shows.
Geno has been better in 2026 than 2025, but I think that largely has to do with his improved supporting cast.
Q: The Jets have another former Raider in Dylan Parham, who signed a two-year, $16 million contract in the offseason. Parham was just an average starter in Vegas, so I’m curious how he’s doing and what he’s brought to the Jets’ offense this year?
A: Parham had been doing very well at guard for the Jets before he was injured. He was arguably performing better than any other Jets offensive lineman. However, Parham only played in three games for the Jets before he was injured, and he has missed the last four games, so the sample size is minuscule and the jury is still out on how well he’ll perform in the long run.
Q: Garrett Wilson seemingly gave Smith an earful during last Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins, while Fernando Mendoza’s college teammate Omar Cooper Jr. has been very productive in his first two games back from injury. Maybe not right now, but do you think Cooper could eventually take over as the Jets’ No. 1 receiver? What has he shown so far?
A: I don’t think Wilson was yelling at Smith. It looked to me like he was yelling at passing game coordinator Seth Ryan. If you take a close look, it looks like Geno is not engaged at all, and Ryan seems to be intently engaged with whatever Wilson was saying.
Whether it was Smith or Ryan, Garrett Wilson has not been shy about sounding off when he has felt he was not being utilized properly throughout his career. He is also frustrated over the constant losing he has endured with the Jets every year of his career. It’s possible Wilson will eventually demand a trade, but he doesn’t seem to be there yet.
As for Cooper, who knows? I doubt he will ever be a better wide receiver than Garrett Wilson, but I suppose it’s possible. If Wilson is traded at some point, could Cooper be a legitimate WR1 for the Jets? I have no idea. We’ve seen just two games from Cooper, both of which involved 40+ yard receptions. Nobody makes those huge plays on a weekly basis. Cooper won’t either.
What will he do if he’s the focus of every team’s top defensive backs? Can he run a full route tree effectively? I don’t know. So far he’s been impressive. We’ll know a lot more by the end of the year, if he stays healthy, regarding his upside and what he can and can’t do well at the NFL level. For now it’s just exciting to have a real weapon opposite Wilson for a change.
Q: Speaking of rookies and New York’s first-round picks, what are the early reviews on David Bailey?
A: David Bailey has a great motor and a world-class first step. He’s better against the run than advertised, though obviously his pass rush abilities are what pay the bills. He seems to learn quickly. On the downside, for now he’s not a polished pass rusher. He needs to develop the use of his hands and multiple pass rush moves when he doesn’t immediately beat a tackle around the edge with his speed. I think he’s going to be the best Jets pass rusher in decades, but he’s still got a ways to go in his development.
Q: Brock Bowers presents a lot of problems for opposing secondaries, and Aaron Glenn typically runs a decent amount of man coverage. So, who do you think Glenn will put on Bowers, or what do you think the strategy will be?
A: Let’s be real – the Jets have no answer for Bowers. Few teams do. I’m sure the safeties Dane Belton and Minkah Fitzpatrick will try to cover him at times, and the linebackers Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood will take a shot at other times. But the safeties are too small, and the linebackers are too slow. Bowers will get plenty of production against the Jets. The key for the Jets will probably be limiting the other Raiders’ weapons to minimal production.
