3 winners (and 3 losers) from Jets preseason shutout win over Steelers

The New York Jets continued their preseason Friday night with a 17-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and there were several positive takeaways for fans to hang their hat on heading into the final week of the preseason.

New York's first-team offense and defense looked good in their limited reps, with veteran quarterback Geno Smith making his preseason debut. Rookie Cade Klubnik was given another opportunity to shine, but was unable to make much of it.

What other Jets took advantage of their opportunities, and which ones squandered them under the bright lights of Acrisure Stadium?

Winners & losers from the New York Jets preseason win over Steelers

Winner: Dane Belton, S

Before the game even kicked off, the New York Post's Brian Costello shared that Dane Belton was warming up with the starting defense opposite Minkah Fitzpatrick as a starting safety.

It seems like the Jets coaching staff has officially recognized the former New York Giants draft pick as the best safety on the roster not named Fitzpatrick. Cisco will likely serve as the first reserve option, while 2025 draft pick Malachi Moore brings up the rear after a disappointing offseason.

Loser: Arian Smith, WR

The Jets have a fairly set-in-stone depth chart at wide receiver, particularly with their top five. Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., Isaiah Williams, and Tim Patrick will be on the 53-man roster, while 2025 draft pick Arian Smith fights for the sixth and final spot.

Smith's stock already dropped after last week's preseason opener, when a pass sailed through his hands for an interception. But now he's proving to be a net negative on special teams as well, as he was flagged for a block in the back on a punt return midway through the first quarter.

If he can't even contribute on special teams, does Smith reserve a roster spot?

Winner: Geno Smith, QB

Reports around Geno Smith's recent struggles in training camp were concerning, to say the least, and chatter surrounding a hypothetical quarterback competition between himself and Klubnik emerged throughout the week.

Suffice it to say, those conversations won't be happening anymore. On the Jets' opening drive, Smith operated the offense cleanly and efficiently, completing all seven of his pass attempts for 65 yards and one touchdown. It's the exact type of smooth play Jets fans are hoping for from their starting QB.

Loser: Jamien Sherwood & Will McDonald, LB/EDGE

The Jets' starting defense remained on the field for a long while, playing the first three possessions against the Steelers' offense. Maybe head coach Aaron Glenn wasn't liking what he was seeing from his starting unit and wanted to get them some extra reps.

When the backups finally did come in, though, two players stuck around. Pass rusher Will McDonald and linebacker Jamien Sherwood. Clearly, the Jets coaching staff wants to see more from the two Robert Saleh-era holdovers and wasn't pleased with their initial performance.

Winner: Omar Cooper Jr., WR

Last week, there was a decent amount of hubaloo about first-round draft choice Omar Cooper Jr. falling behind Isaiah Williams on the Jets' depth chart, as Williams took the field with the starters during the preseason opener against the Buccaneers.

Well, this week, it was Cooper who saw work with the Jets' starting offense, and Williams watched on the sidelines when the starters took the field. The rookie caught only one pass for nine yards, but only saw one target thrown his way on 11 snaps. Regardless, fans can take a deep breath and stop pressing the panic button.

Loser: Cade Klubnik, QB

Klubnik was a winner last week, leading the Jets offense on two scoring drives in his two possessions after being thrust into the starting lineup in the wake of Geno Smith's late scratch. Friday night against Pittsburgh was a different story.

His pass protection did him no favors, but Klubnik managed to complete 10 of 14 pass attempts and had a 16-yard scramble in five series and 26 total snaps. He didn't make any major mistakes, but didn't pop either.

He put the Jets in position for a 59-yard field goal right before half, but Cade York missed it. New York's offensive operation was night and day when the rookie was on the field compared to when Geno was running the show.

The Jets' current plan at backup quarterback should continue to raise eyebrows. They may need to make a move before the regular season begins.

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