While the New York Jets have already made clear their unhappiness with recently sidelined quarterback Geno Smith's decision to toss the ball around a little after plates and screws were inserted into his jaw on Friday, it seems the franchise really has little to worry about and may, in fact, have a lot to be hopeful for. Initial reports pegged Smith's return to health at somewhere between six and 10 weeks, but Dr. David Chao, MD believes the estimate is high and based on the circumstances surrounding Smith's injury and procedure, he should be back quicker than expected, perhaps even by Week One.
"His jaw was not wired shut, indicating stable fixation," Chao writes, via NationalFootballPost.com. "The fact that he felt well enough to throw is another good sign. The Jets told him to stop due to infection risk, but that doesn't make medical sense.
"Much has been made that his jaw was fractured in two places, but that is typical whenever a jaw is broken. Even when initial estimate for return was 6-10 weeks, I always thought it would be closer to six. With the news of presumed stable fixation without need to wire the jaw shut, he can eat immediately and return even faster."
Of course, upon his return Smith will require extra padding and protection against a hit, but per Chao, there is no "medical reason" that Smith shouldn't be able to play in the Jets regular season opener.
Per Chao, it's more likely that if Smith does miss Week One, it's a function of his missed practice time and would boil down to a coaching decision and would be unlikely to be related to a medical restriction.
With the team currently facing the proposition of going into the 2015 NFL season with veteran journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick at the top of their quarterbacking depth chart, the sooner Smith can return to health and the field, the better New York's chances of making some noise in new head coach Todd Bowles' first season at the helm.
