Geno Smith has yet to share a practice field with Mark Sanchez.
When this happens, it will be covered with roughly the same zeal as a papal announcement. Given the media firestorm that's surrounded Smith since he joined the New York Jets, we imagine he sees this coming.
Rapoport: Geno Smith's raw deal
Ian Rapoport says the buzz about Geno Smith's search for an agent stems from preconceived notions about the QB. **More ...**
Still, Smith is trying his best to downplay his upcoming competition with Sanchez, the Jets' starter for most of the past four seasons.
"He's a guy I'm going to be in competition with but at the same time I'm going to learn from," Smith said to ESPN Radio on Monday, via the New York Daily News. "He's a professional, he's done it for several years. He's carried himself well in my opinion.
"Everything that he's done, the ups and downs, the overall perception of him may be swayed depending on the games he's played, but I think he's a pretty good quarterback and I look forward to competing with him and being around him."
The truth? From a pure playing time standpoint, Smith has walked into an excellent situation. The Jets are a team in transition, and Sanchez quickly has gone from the organization's future to its past.
A strong camp from Smith should be enough to take the starting job away from that "pretty good quarterback."
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
