The New York Jets are turning once again to rookie quarterback Brady Cook, who will make his second straight start this Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed the decision on Wednesday, giving Cook another shot under center after a turbulent debut as a starter last week in Jacksonville.
Cook is now the third quarterback to start for the Jets this season, a revolving door that reflects just how tough things have been offensively in New York. He first saw action in Week 14, stepping in for Tyrod Taylor during a loss to the Dolphins.
That game was a rough introduction to NFL speed-Cook completed just 14 of 30 passes for 160 yards, threw two picks, and was sacked six times. It didn’t get much easier in his first start against the Jaguars, where he went 22-of-36 for 176 yards, threw one touchdown and three interceptions, and was sacked three more times.
To say the Jets’ passing offense has struggled would be an understatement. They currently rank last in the league in passing yards, second-to-last in yards per completion, 29th in touchdown passes, and 30th in sacks allowed. That’s a brutal combination for any quarterback, let alone a rookie trying to find his footing.
Cook, an undrafted rookie out of Missouri, put together a solid college career, completing nearly 66% of his passes for over 9,200 yards, with 50 touchdowns to just 15 interceptions. He spent his final two seasons under offensive coordinator Kirby Moore-who happens to be the younger brother of Saints head coach Kellen Moore. So there’s a little extra familiarity baked into this matchup, at least from the Saints’ sideline.
And speaking of the Saints, they’re not exactly rolling out a seasoned vet at quarterback either. Fellow rookie Tyler Shough will be making his seventh consecutive start for New Orleans.
But unlike Cook, Shough has had the benefit of playing behind a defense that’s been quietly solid all year. The Saints rank 11th overall and 6th against the pass-numbers that suggest Cook will have his work cut out for him once again.
At 3-11, the Jets are firmly in evaluation mode, and giving Cook another start makes sense from that perspective. It’s a chance to see how he responds to adversity, how he processes a tough defensive look, and whether he can build on anything from last week’s performance. The numbers haven’t been pretty, but this is about more than stats-it’s about growth, poise, and flashes of potential in a season that’s long since slipped out of playoff contention.
For Cook, Sunday isn’t just another start. It’s an opportunity to show he belongs. And for the Jets, it’s another step in figuring out what the future of their quarterback room might look like.