Florham Park, N.J. - Saturday morning at Jets camp belonged to Cade Klubnik, who put together the sharpest practice of his young New York career during the Green and White Scrimmage.
That mattered because the session had a scrimmage feel to it, and that’s where young quarterbacks can start to separate themselves. Klubnik looked comfortable in that setting. Late in practice, he dropped a deep ball to Isaiah Williams that looked like it should have gone for a 70-plus-yard touchdown before the officials ruled Williams down inside the red zone.
The throw had plenty on it and plenty of touch, too. Williams got loose over the top and found big separation, with Malachi Moore the closest defender on the play.
Whether it was a clean win on a 1v1 route or a completion against the top of a deep-half look, the coverage was too soft for Aaron Glenn’s defense. The drive still ended with a back-shoulder score to Jelani Woods.
Klubnik wasn’t done there. Earlier in the workout, he connected with Jamaal Pritchett in the back right corner of the end zone for another touchdown. Even with Glenn already rotating first- and second-team defenders, Klubnik stayed composed once the practice shifted into more game-like territory.
Bailey Zappe also had one of his better mornings of the summer. He hit undrafted rookie DT Sheffield for a 50-plus-yard touchdown on a play where the coverage broke down and the pressure never really got home.
Still, this wasn’t a clean day for either quarterback. Klubnik and Zappe both had bright moments, but both also had their mistakes.
The rookie, in particular, was far from spotless. Even so, Saturday gave Klubnik a real reason to feel good about where he stands.
The offense as a whole didn’t exactly light it up. Geno Smith and the first-team group had stretches that looked rough, and even one of the simulated drives against the second-team defense got messy. Breece Hall did have some runs between the tackles with more room than the Jets probably wanted to give up, which pointed to ongoing issues with gap integrity and run fits.
Smith did connect with Isaiah Williams for another 50-plus-yard touchdown, though there was disagreement over whether rookie David Bailey would have gotten to the quarterback. On the play, Bailey took a wide path around Olu Fashanu, which made it easier for the left tackle to steer him downfield.
Bailey still showed up in a big way later. On one first-team-versus-second-team sequence, Max Mitchell handled him well in pass protection.
But Bailey’s best snap came when he read an inside-zone split, burst flat down the line, and collided with a flashing tight end block before getting in on the tackle. It was the kind of play that showed both diagnosis and urgency.
There was also an injury update after practice. Bailey left late with a left ankle injury, but he came out of the tent and rejoined his teammates on the sideline. Aaron Glenn said he’ll be ok.
Rookie safety VJ Payne’s news was worse. Glenn said the Kansas State product will miss a few weeks with a bone bruise.
One more thing stood out on the defensive side: the Jets kept leaning on a front that many expected to be less common this season. Glenn talked in the spring about more odd-principled looks, but the team has been using a four-man front for several straight days. Whether that was always part of the plan or a response to injuries to T’Vondre Sweat, Joseph Ossai, and, until recently, Kingsley Enagbare, remains unclear.
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Now Payne is dealing with a bone bruise suffered in practice, and the timing makes the roster battle a lot less straightforward. Missing the next few weeks leaves the Jets with a decision to make on a player they like for the future, even if the immediate path can still be managed in a few different ways before final cuts arrive. [Read more 🡒]