Aaron Glenn offers telling answer on why Jets are starting Brady Cook

The New York Jets lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, and in doing so, they removed any lingering ambiguity about what the final stretch of this season is really about.

After a 29–6 defeat to a Saints team that entered the day with just four wins, head coach Aaron Glenn was asked a straightforward question. Is Brady Cook starting because he gives the Jets the best chance to win, or because the team wants to see what it has in him?

Glenn's answer was rather revealing. The first-year head coach insisted that the reason for starting Cook is "a little bit of both." Glenn said that he believes both that Cook gives his team the best chance to win and that the Jets also want to continue to evaluate him.

On its own, that response might sound like standard coach-speak. But in context, it reads a bit differently. Just one week earlier, Glenn explained Cook’s starting role in similar terms, telling reporters the Jets wanted to “continue to evaluate him.”

Sunday’s quote was simply a continuation of the same message. The Jets aren't necessarily trying to lose games, but they're certainly not trying their hardest to win them.

Aaron Glenn explains why the Jets continue to start Brady Cook at QB

Glenn may say he believes Cook gives the Jets the best chance to win, but the on-field results make that difficult to accept at face value. Cook was overwhelmed against New Orleans, taking eight sacks as the offense struggled to function for long stretches.

The Jets’ longest completion by air yards in Week 16 was just nine yards. If winning were truly the priority, the Jets’ approach at quarterback would almost certainly look different.

Instead, Glenn’s words and actions appear to be aligned. The Jets are using these final games to gather information instead of chasing marginal wins. Cook’s continued presence under center, the patience shown despite clear struggles, and the consistent emphasis on evaluation all point in the same direction.

Glenn doesn’t need to spell it out. He already has. The Jets know what this stretch of the season is for, and his explanation on Sunday made that clearer than ever.

It remains to be seen whether Glenn will continue to stick with Cook, even with Tyrod Taylor now back from injury. His performance on Sunday was among the worst quarterback outings the Jets have seen this season — and that's saying a lot.

But if evaluation is truly the priority, the Jets may already have their answer.