Cade Klubnik is sitting in the New York Jets’ backup quarterback spot, but that alone doesn’t mean he went out and seized it.
That distinction matters, because the Jets are one Geno Smith injury away from having to hand the offense to a rookie who didn’t exactly light up the preseason. Klubnik’s summer work was rough: across three appearances, he completed 21 of 34 passes for 190 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception, and a 64.6 quarterback rating.
Even with that showing, New York chose to carry only two quarterbacks on its 53-man active roster, while Bailey Zappe is back on the practice squad. The team has been pushed all offseason to bring in a veteran backup, but with the regular season just over a week away, it appears the Jets are sticking with what they have.
Some around the team have tried to make the case for the decision, including ESPN’s Rich Cimini. On a recent episode of the Jets Collective podcast, Cimini argued that Klubnik was one of three rookie quarterbacks to “win” a backup job this offseason, alongside Las Vegas Raiders No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and Tampa Bay Buccaneers undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels.
“There are 13 rookie quarterbacks on 53-man rosters around the NFL. Out of those 13 rookies, only three are No.
- Obviously, Fernando Mendoza in Las Vegas, Jalon Daniels, which is interesting, a rookie undrafted guy in Tampa Bay, and Cade Klubnik.
Those are the only three rookies who are in No. 2 roles as we speak.”
It’s a fair point on paper, but the way Klubnik ended up there makes the argument shaky. Since camp opened, the Jets have looked more like they were handing him the job than letting him win it. He got second-team reps ahead of Zappe and Brady Cook, and he was the starter in preseason games against Tampa Bay and the New York Giants.
That raises the obvious question: if the Jets had brought in a proven backup, like Russell Wilson, would Klubnik still be the No. 2? Probably not.
That’s why the cleanest example of a rookie truly earning a backup job belongs to Daniels. He began the preseason buried on the depth chart behind Jake Browning and Connor Bazelak, and he even closed out the exhibition opener at MetLife Stadium. From there, steady play all summer pushed him up the ladder and past the internal competition.
That’s not the same story Klubnik is telling, and it’s not really the same one for Mendoza in Las Vegas, either.
Klubnik still has upside, and the Jets should absolutely be developing him. But right now, he looks more like a quarterback who would benefit from being third on the depth chart, learning behind players with real NFL experience. If he has to play at any point in his rookie season, it could do more harm than good for his growth.
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