New York Jets starting quarterback Geno Smith was held out of preseason Week 1 with a minor foot injury.
Head coach Aaron Glenn took the cautious approach in the 24-16 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith's absence provided the Jets with a fantastic opportunity to assess rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik.
Klubnik received the start in Smith's place. The former Clemson standout completed 5-of-7 passing attempts for 56 yards. The Jets should have allowed Klubnik to play longer than he did.
Instead, Klubnik made way for Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe. Cook went 9-of-15 for 108 yards. Zappe was terrible, going 6-of-10 with 55 yards and two interceptions. Zappe may have played himself off the roster altogether.
Both Cook and Zappe ended up attempting
more passes than Klubnik did. Do the Jets really need to evaluate Cook and/or Zappe more than they need to see Klubnik at this point? The answer to that question is absolutely not.
The Jets understandably weren't going to play Klubnik for all four quarters, especially behind backup offensive lineman. But it seems silly that the rookie quarterback who needs reps attempted the fewest passes of any Jets quarterback. It goes down as a bit of a missed opportunity.
Jets Wire will continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 NFL season.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: What Jets should have done different with Cade Klubnik vs. Buccaneers
