The Jets have already settled on Geno Smith as their starter this season, and unless injury changes the picture, he’s expected to hold that job all year. The bigger question now is what they do behind him.
Cade Klubnik has given the team reason for some optimism, but the backup spot still looks unsettled enough that the Jets could look outside the building for a new QB2 before the season kicks off. ESPN’s Rich Cimini says that, if they’re going to go that route, the time to act is now.
"The organization will probably choose Klubnik as Geno Smith's backup," Cimini writes. "If the Jets explore outside options, now would be the time."
That urgency matters because the clock is moving fast. The Jets have already played their second preseason game, which means they have just one more week before the preseason ends and the final 53-man roster decisions arrive.
Klubnik’s preseason work has been decent, if not eye-catching. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he completed 10 of 14 passes for 74 yards.
It was a solid enough showing, but nothing that clearly locked the job down. His first preseason outing came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when he went 5-for-7 with the starting offense for 56 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
From here, the Jets could still decide Klubnik isn’t quite ready to be the No. 2 quarterback and bring in a veteran through trade, free agency or a waiver claim after cutdowns. But if that’s the direction they choose, it can’t linger much longer.
Klubnik is still the likeliest candidate to remain the backup, but the message from Cimini is clear: if the Jets want to make a change, they need to do it soon.
In Other News...
Jets Have An Early Problem In The Middle Of Their Defense
David Onyemata was brought in to help steady the middle of the Jets defense, especially against the run, after that area proved vulnerable last season. Instead, the preseason has opened with a rough stretch for the veteran lineman, who has earned the lowest Pro Football Focus grade on the team so far and has not yet looked like the immediate upgrade the Jets were counting on.
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 🡒]
Jets Rookie Omar Cooper Jr Suddenly Has Real WR3 Momentum
The Jets are still sorting out their wide receiver depth, and the battle for the third spot has become one of the more interesting things to watch in camp. Rookie Omar Cooper Jr. entered the first preseason game as a backup, but by the next one he was taking first-team reps with the starting offense, a sign that his stock is moving in the right direction as the team continues to evaluate its options.
Isaiah Williams remains in the mix, but his fumble in the second preseason game did not help a competition that already looked tight. The Jets have not made a decision on WR3 yet, and that uncertainty keeps this race open, but Coopers growing involvement suggests he is very much a strong candidate as the roster picture starts to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Just Changed Who Gets A Real Shot Before Cutdown Day
The final week of the preseason brought a small roster shuffle for the Jets, who signed three undrafted free agents in Anthony Dunn, Dominic Richardson and Tanner Wall while waiving Caullin Lacy, Sam Scott and Nate Voorhis, all of whom were dealing with injuries. It is the kind of late-August move that can get overlooked, but for players on the fringe, every open practice rep matters at this stage of camp.
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 🡒]