Geno Smith is locked in as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback for 2026. That part isn’t up for debate. But the answer to who plays behind him — and possibly after him — is still being written on the practice fields at Florham Park, and rookie Cade Klubnik is squarely in that conversation.
New York used a fourth-round pick on the Clemson product in the 2026 NFL Draft, and offensive coordinator Frank Reich, via SNY, offered one of his clearest endorsements yet of Klubnik’s progress through the first stretch of training camp.
“Cade has been good. I really like how he has come back mentally and I feel like he has taken a good step,” Reich said. “It’s a lot now, we’re at the point now where pretty much everything is in. He shows the aptitude to pick it all up. The aptitude for big plays. Just continue to weather some storms.”
Reich didn’t stop there. He made a point of tempering expectations for a rookie learning an NFL playbook on the fly.
“There will be storms, you’re a rookie quarterback, you’re going to take your lumps,” he continued. “But I’m happy with the entire quarterback room, all the guys competing for the No. 2 spot are doing a good job.”
A Backup Battle With Real Stakes
Klubnik isn’t running this competition unopposed. Bailey Zappe, who signed a futures deal with the Jets in January after spending 2025 on Cleveland’s practice squad, and Brady Cook, an undrafted free agent who closed out his rookie season under center, are both pushing for the No. 2 job as well.
Cook’s case is built on live NFL snaps. He made four consecutive starts to end the 2025 season — against Jacksonville, New England, New Orleans and Buffalo — after injuries sidelined both Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor. The results were rough: Cook finished that stretch with just one touchdown against seven interceptions and didn’t win a game. He completed 57.5 percent of his throws for 739 yards on the year, according to SI.com, which also noted he was absent from OTAs this spring — a sign, the outlet suggested, that his roster spot may not be secure.
Zappe brings a different resume: nine career starts, all with the Patriots, and a 4-5 record with a 76.0 passer rating. He has yet to take a regular-season snap for New York.
Klubnik, meanwhile, has had an up-and-down camp so far. He completed 6 of 7 passes in 11-on-11 work during one recent practice, according to ESPN, but was intercepted in both 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 periods that same day. Days earlier, he struggled through a 1-of-5 stretch with a red-zone interception before rebounding with a touchdown pass in 7-on-7 drills, per Jets beat reporter Zack Rosenblatt.
Why the Jets Are Being Patient
The Jets didn’t draft Klubnik to unseat Smith this season. They drafted him because their long-term quarterback plan is unresolved, and a fourth-round rookie with starting experience at a major program was worth the swing. Reich’s comments reflect that framing — praise for the mental side of the game, not a declaration that Klubnik has won anything yet.
That distinction matters. Learning an NFL offense isn’t just about arm talent. It’s retention: recognizing coverages, getting the whole unit into the right protection, trusting what you saw in the film room fast enough to throw with anticipation. Reich pointing to Klubnik’s ability to “pick it all up” is coach-speak for exactly that kind of processing speed, and it’s usually the hardest thing for a rookie quarterback to show early.
The preseason is where this competition actually gets settled. New York opens its exhibition slate against Tampa Bay, with two joint practices against the Buccaneers scheduled for August 11 and 12 — live snaps against unfamiliar defenses, the first real test for all three backup hopefuls.
Klubnik’s Camp Numbers
| Player | NFL Experience | Career Starts | 2026 Camp Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cade Klubnik | Rookie (4th-round pick) | 0 | Competing for QB2 |
| Brady Cook | 2nd year, undrafted | 4 | Competing for QB2/QB3 |
| Bailey Zappe | 5th year | 9 | Competing for QB2 |
Whether Klubnik ends up as Smith’s primary backup in 2026, or factors into the Jets’ long-term plans beyond that, remains unsettled. But early in his first NFL camp, he’s building the kind of trust with his coordinator that teams look for before handing a young quarterback more responsibility.
