The New York Jets host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tonight in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL preseason, and quarterback Geno Smith is expected to play and start for New York.
Smith will lead the Jets’ first-team offense in his first preseason game since returning to the franchise. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn plans to give his starters game action against Tampa Bay, although Smith’s exact workload has not been announced.
Once Smith exits, the Jets can turn their attention toward evaluating their quarterback depth behind him.
Is Geno Smith Playing Today vs. Buccaneers?
Yes, Geno Smith is expected to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tonight.
Smith is set to start at quarterback for New York as the Jets give their first-team offense an opportunity to work together under live game conditions.
The veteran quarterback participated in the Jets’ joint practices against Tampa Bay earlier this week, giving him competitive repetitions against an opposing defense before the preseason opener.
Now Smith will get an opportunity to operate New York’s offense in an actual game environment.
His appearance should be limited, however, as the Jets have little reason to expose their starting quarterback to an extended preseason workload.
Who Is the Jets’ Starting Quarterback vs. Buccaneers?
Geno Smith is the New York Jets’ starting quarterback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Smith enters the 2026 season firmly positioned atop New York’s quarterback depth chart and is expected to take the field with the Jets’ starting offense Friday night.
His preseason start should not be interpreted as part of a competition for the QB1 job.
Instead, the Jets are using the preseason to get Smith comfortable within the offense while evaluating the quarterbacks competing for positions behind him.
How Long Will Geno Smith Play?
The Jets have not announced an exact snap count for Geno Smith against Tampa Bay.
Smith could play only the opening series or potentially remain on the field for several possessions depending on how the game develops.
New York’s primary objective will be getting Smith and the starting offense meaningful game-speed repetitions without unnecessarily increasing the risk of injury.
A productive opening drive could potentially be enough for the Jets to remove Smith relatively early.
If the offense struggles to establish rhythm, New York could decide to give the starters additional opportunities.
Either way, Smith is unlikely to play anything close to a full game.
Jets Quarterback Depth Chart vs. Buccaneers
New York’s quarterback situation entering the preseason opener includes:
- Geno Smith — Starting quarterback; expected to play
- Cade Klubnik — Rookie competing for the backup quarterback position
- Bailey Zappe — Competing for preseason snaps and backup responsibilities
Once Smith leaves the game, the quarterback competition behind him becomes one of the biggest storylines to watch.
Klubnik and Zappe should receive opportunities to demonstrate their ability to operate New York’s offense and establish themselves as reliable options behind Smith.
Cade Klubnik Could Get a Major Opportunity
Cade Klubnik will be one of the most interesting Jets players to watch during the preseason.
The rookie quarterback has an opportunity to compete for the No. 2 position behind Smith, making every preseason possession important.
New York will be evaluating more than Klubnik’s passing statistics.
His decision-making, accuracy, command of the offense, ability to handle pressure and protection of the football will all be important as the Jets determine their quarterback depth chart.
If Smith’s appearance is brief, Klubnik could receive significantly more playing time than New York’s starter.
Bailey Zappe Competing for Backup Role
Bailey Zappe also has an opportunity to strengthen his position within the Jets’ quarterback room.
The preseason provides valuable game repetitions for quarterbacks competing for backup jobs because opportunities can become limited once the regular season begins.
Zappe’s NFL experience gives the Jets another option behind Smith, but his preseason performances could play an important role in determining how New York structures its quarterback depth chart entering Week 1.
The competition between Zappe and Klubnik could therefore become more significant than Smith’s performance during the preseason opener.
Why Is Geno Smith Playing in the Preseason?
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has decided to give his starters preseason game repetitions rather than holding the entire first-team unit out.
For Smith, the snaps provide another opportunity to build chemistry with New York’s offensive personnel and become increasingly comfortable operating the offense under game conditions.
Joint practices can provide valuable competitive work, but quarterbacks are generally protected from contact.
A preseason game introduces different situations, including live pass rushes, third downs, red-zone opportunities and game-management decisions.
Even a limited appearance can therefore provide useful preparation before the regular season.
Geno Smith Returns as Jets’ Starting Quarterback
Smith’s appearance also carries additional significance because he is once again the starting quarterback of the franchise that originally drafted him.
The Jets selected Smith in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
After leaving New York and eventually establishing himself as a starter elsewhere in the NFL, Smith returned to the Jets and enters the 2026 season as their QB1.
Friday night gives Jets fans an early opportunity to see Smith leading New York’s offense in game action.
Baker Mayfield Not Playing for Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are taking a different approach with their starting quarterback.
Baker Mayfield is not expected to play against the Jets, allowing Tampa Bay to manage the workload of its established QB1.
With Mayfield sitting and Jake Browning dealing with an injury, the Buccaneers could rely heavily on Jalon Daniels and Connor Bazelak at quarterback.
That makes the quarterback situations considerably different entering Friday night.
New York plans to give Smith live-game repetitions, while Tampa Bay is using the preseason opener primarily to evaluate its quarterback depth behind Mayfield.
Buccaneers vs. Jets Game Time
The New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet Friday night in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL preseason.
Matchup: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets
Date: Friday, August 14, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Game: 2026 NFL Preseason Week 1
The matchup provides both teams with their first major opportunity to evaluate their rosters under game conditions ahead of the regular season.
Is Geno Smith Starting Tonight?
Yes, Geno Smith is expected to start for the New York Jets tonight against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Smith should lead New York’s first-team offense for a limited number of preseason snaps before the Jets turn the offense over to their backup quarterbacks.
His position as New York’s starting quarterback is not in question.
Instead, the biggest quarterback storyline after Smith leaves the field will be the competition between Cade Klubnik and Bailey Zappe for positioning behind him on the Jets’ depth chart.
For Jets fans wondering whether Geno Smith is playing today, the answer is yes — Smith is expected to start against the Buccaneers in New York’s 2026 preseason opener.