Aaron Glenn didn’t get a perfect second look at Cade Klubnik on Friday night, but he did get exactly what he wanted: more time for the rookie to work.
After the Jets blanked the Steelers 17-0 for their first preseason win, Glenn was asked about Klubnik’s uneven night and made it clear he’s still focused on the bigger picture. ESPN’s Rich Cimini shared the head coach’s response on X:
“Cade Klubnik is 'gonna grow every time he's on the field.' Glad that Klubnik got a two-minute drill at end of half. Wanted to make sure he started the second half to see how he handled halftime adjustments.”
Klubnik’s box score wasn’t eye-catching. The fourth-round pick completed 10 of 14 passes for 75 yards, added one 16-yard run, and didn’t lead the Jets to a scoring drive. New York did get him into range for a 59-yard field goal at the end of the first half, but Cade York missed it.
Even so, the rookie saw a bigger workload than he did in his preseason debut. This time, he directed the offense on five possessions instead of two, though the Jets still couldn’t put points on the board with him at the controls. He ran only four plays in Steelers territory.
There was also plenty working against him. The Jets’ reserve offensive line gave him little breathing room, and Next Gen Stats said Klubnik was pressured on five of his 15 dropbacks. That kind of heat makes life hard for any quarterback, especially one still learning on the fly.
The Jets appear ready to keep handing the backup job to Klubnik, even with no NFL experience yet under his belt. Friday night didn’t give that idea a big boost, but Glenn’s message was clear: the reps matter, and the learning isn’t done.
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Jets Have An Early Problem In The Middle Of Their Defense
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The good news for New York is that the depth chart is not completely locked in behind him, and the team does have other defensive line options waiting if the early issues carry over into the regular season. T'Vondre Sweat and Jowon Briggs are among the names the Jets can turn to, which gives them some flexibility, but it also makes Onyematas next few weeks more important as he tries to settle in and justify the starting job. [Read more 🡒]
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With the preseason finale against the Giants on deck, the new arrivals now have a narrow window to make their case for a roster spot or at least a place on the practice squad. For the Jets, it is another reminder that cutdown season is as much about opportunity as it is about attrition, and the next few days will determine whether this batch of newcomers gets a real look or simply serves as one more temporary layer of depth. [Read more 🡒]