The Jets may not be entering 2026 with much buzz as a postseason team, but there is still one spot on the roster that could give the fan base something to latch onto: backup quarterback.
And for New York, that conversation keeps circling back to Cade Klubnik.
The rookie fourth-round pick out of Clemson is in line to battle for the QB2 job this summer, and the stakes around that competition are bigger than they might look on the surface. Rich Cimini of ESPN framed it plainly: the Jets are counting on Klubnik to beat out Bailey Zappe and avoid what he called a “bummer” result.
“Rookie Cade Klubnik is the fan favorite because ... well, the success-starved fan base is desperate for a QB of the future,” Cimini writes. “No offense to Bailey Zappe, but it would be a bummer if he wins the No. 2 job.”
Brady Cook is another possible name in the mix, but the path appears to be narrowing toward Klubnik or Zappe for the backup role behind Geno Smith in 2026.
That’s why this battle matters more than a typical summer competition. If Klubnik comes out of training camp and the preseason as the clear No. 2, the Jets would at least have a young quarterback with upside sitting behind Smith. Even if he never develops into the long-term answer, that kind of profile would offer something the franchise has been short on: hope.
If Zappe wins the job instead, the message is a lot less encouraging. It would suggest Klubnik isn’t ready to claim the role, and maybe not the kind of player Jets fans can build any real optimism around.
It may not be the flashiest quarterback storyline in the league, but for the Jets, it could be one of the most telling.
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The Jets quarterback picture already has a clear headline for 2026, with Geno Smith in line to start and a backup battle forming behind him. Cade Klubnik, Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe are all in the mix, but the room could still be worth watching if New York decides it wants another young arm in the pipeline rather than simply riding with the current group.
That is where Bleacher Reports Kristopher Knox has nudged J.J. McCarthy into the conversation. The Vikings quarterback has appeared in 10 games and has yet to lock down the job in Minnesota, which leaves his long-term path open to interpretation if he does not seize the starting role there. For the Jets, it is the kind of speculative quarterback wrinkle that can linger around a roster even when the present plan already seems set. [Read more 🡒]
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Jets Linked To Another Quarterback Twist Fans Didn't See Coming
Dillon Gabriels spot in Cleveland has become one of those quarterback situations teams around the league keep watching, and the Jets are now being mentioned as a possible suitor. Gabriel is currently projected as the Browns third-string quarterback behind Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, which makes his long-term path in Cleveland murky enough to invite questions about whether another club could try to get involved.
The appeal is easy to see on paper, even if the fit in New York is far from straightforward. Gabriel played in 10 games with six starts last season and completed 59.5 percent of his passes with a 7-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but his overall efficiency lagged behind league average. The Jets also just used a draft pick on Cade Klubnik to develop at the position, and with multiple future first-round picks in hand, they are not exactly short on options if they decide to keep building the room their own way. [Read more 🡒]