QB options for Jets: Flynn, Smith

February, 21, 2013
Feb 21
3:16
PM ET
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Seahawks' Matt Flynn and the 49ers' Alex Smith, backup quarterbacks looking for starting jobs and perhaps new homes, are available if the Jets are interested.

Their respective general managers, speaking Thursday at the scouting combine, didn't rule out the possibility of trades.

"We're going to look at all options available," 49ers GM Trent Baalke said. "Are we going to trade (Smith) for sure? That hasn't been decided."

You can bet they'll try hard to make a deal, considering Smith has a $6.5 million guarantee that kicks in April 1 -- prohibitive for a backup quarterback. Smith, of course, lost his job to Colin Kaepernick.

Predictably, Seahawks GM John Schneider spoke glowingly of Flynn, whom he signed last offseason to a three-year, $19.5 million contract in free agency. Flynn never saw the field because of the emergence of Russell Wilson, seemingly making Flynn expendable.

Schneider said they're "blessed to have two starting-caliber quarterbacks," which is what you'd expect him to say at this stage of the offseason. But he also acknowledged that "we're always going to listen to everything."

Flynn and Smith are two options for the quarterback-needy Jets. Both have a background in the West Coast offense, and Flynn is particularly intriguing because Jets GM John Idzik is a former Seahawks executive who negotiated Flynn's contract. Flynn is due to make $5.25 million for the coming season, which could be financially taxing for the Jets, who already have $8.25 million committed to Mark Sanchez.
Rich Cimini, longtime Jets beat writer for the New York Daily News and a Syracuse graduate, covers Gang Green for ESPNNewYork.com.
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