The Jets drafted wide receiver Devin Smith in the second round of this year’s draft in hopes that he’d provide them with a deep threat to use as a complement to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.
Making that happen has been a slow process. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said that Smith’s football education at Ohio State didn’t leave him prepared to make an instant impact at the professional level.
“He’s struggled integrating into the whole system,” Gailey said, via the New York Post. “He did certain things in college that were in their system, and getting involved in the whole system [with the Jets] -- it’s been a longer process than any of us thought it would be. He’s just got a lot to learn and a lot to work on to this point. He’s got talent. We obviously all see that. If he’ll just keep working, things will happen good for him in the future. But he’s just got to keep working.”
Smith, who has six catches for 60 yards, missed time during the summer with broken ribs, something that likely contributed to his sluggish transition. He hasn’t practiced this week because of an ankle injury that will likely keep him out for Sunday’s game against the Raiders, something that’s unlikely to speed things up for Smith with the Jets.