Jets HC Aaron Glenn Names Rookie QB Cade Klubnik the Backup
Ross Johnston reacts to the news of Jets Rookie QB Cade Klubnik being named the backup for 2026.
Video Transcript
So the New York Jets are rolling with fourth round rookie out of Clemson, Cade Klubnick, as their backup quarterback.
Aaron Glenn made the statement yesterday saying, "He's our backup quarterback, and he'll do a good job."
I'm kind of intrigued by this move by the New York Jets.
Now, let's make it clear, the Jets made it fairly obvious that Cade Klubnick is going to be their rookie quarterback by letting go of Brady Cook and letting go of Bailey Zappe, who they then brought back on the practice squad.
Brady Cook ended up getting picked up by the Dolphins.
And now Cook did go undrafted in the twenty twenty-five draft, but got picked up by the Jets and actually played in about five games last year, albeit it was ugly performances, but he didn't have much to work with around him, and he had some NFL experience already.
So this really shows me how much they do like Cade Klubnick, at least right now, that they l- fully just let go of Brady Cook.
They didn't even hold three quarterbacks, they just let him go, let Cade and Geno be the only two in the room, with Zappe on the practice squad, and gave Klubnick the backup reins.
Now, Cade Klubnick's final preseason stats were twenty-one of thirty-four for a hundred and ninety yards, one pick, and he took four sacks.
Now, let's be clear, he wasn't playing with the best talent around him, and I think reports out of practice were much more positive around Cade Klubnick rather than what we saw on the field.
Even though it wasn't bad, it just wasn't great or as, you know, as good as we expected after hearing positive reports from Florham Park.
But this is also a risky move by the New York Jets because Geno Smith has stayed healthy over the last four years, playing in fifteen games last year with the Raiders, he's played a full seventeen game season a couple times in the last four years.
He's stayed healthy, and he looked good in his one drive in the preseason.
But there are two ways that Klubnick would get on the field as of right now.
One obviously being if Geno Smith goes down, they would have to turn to the rookie, Cade Klubnick, as of right now, or two, if Smith puts together a lot of poor performances and they decide they wanna go ahead and roll with the rookie, that would throw Klubnick into the fire.
Now, I don't know if that's the best idea considering what Brady Cook went through last year, and if we don't expect the Jets to be a playoff contending team this year and expect them to have a losing record still.
You know, hopefully they can win five or six games, but I think we all expect them to be a losing team.
That may not be the best way to throw Cade Klubnick in there for his first NFL experience.
Mind you, the Jets also have multiple first-round picks next year.
They have three, as they got some from the Sauce Gardner trade with the Colts, and we expect it to be a very high-caliber quarterback draft class.
So they could be getting their quarterback of the future next year too, and they're acting like Klubnick could be their quarterback of the future right now.
So I don't know what is going to happen down the line with the New York Jets and how they're going to handle this situation.
I think ultimately what everyone wants and what would be the best is for Geno Smith to play all seventeen games and have a fairly good season.
But it's the NFL and you never know what could happen.
Now, I, I believe in Cade Klubnick, I think he could be a good quarterback down the line, but again, he is a fourth-round pick and it's going to take some time.
I mean, we-- heck, we see first-round, top pick quarterbacks that need time to develop and sit behind guys and learn and grow.
But one thing's for sure, Aaron Glenn and the Jets are putting a lot of faith in Cade Klubnick early.
We'll have to see how it all plays out over the next season
