Jets fans should love insider’s latest Cade Klubnik update

Much like a baby’s laughter or a dog nuzzling against your leg, Cade Klubnik is quickly mastering how to bring a genuine smile to New York Jets fans’ faces.

Granted, the Clemson standout is yet to take a preseason snap, let alone play in a regular season game, but the Klubnik hype train left the station long ago.

All signs initially pointed to Klubnik spending his rookie year as the No. 3 quarterback behind Geno Smith and, most likely, journeyman backup Bailey Zappe. 

However, that narrative has changed over the last month, and ESPN’s Rich Cimini remains among those contributing to loftier expectations for Klubnik. 

“Klubnik figures to get plenty of reps in the preseason, an opportunity to win the backup job and perhaps lay the groundwork for late-season playing time,” Cimini wrote on Sunday. “If the Jets fall out of contention, it could mean an audition for Klubnik.”

Could the Jets really turn to Cade Klubnik as their backup quarterback?

I’ve personally been on record in suggesting that the Jets should essentially treat Klubnik’s rookie season as a redshirt year.

And, even with training camp over a week away, I still believe the safest play is to have Zappe enter this season backing up Smith.

But this isn’t the first time we’ve heard a Jets reporter suggest Klubnik could contend for the No. 2 job, and that obviously carries far greater weight than bloggers or pundits unfamiliar with the team’s overall roster. 

Barring disaster, Smith will start against Robert Saleh and the Titans in Week 1. Aaron Glenn confirmed that months ago, and there is no reason to believe the Jets will reverse course. 

The only downside of the recent spotlight on Klubnik is that fans might be disappointed if he doesn’t immediately resemble Brock Purdy or Tom Brady.

Cimini outlined the perfect plan for Klubnik, though. The Jets need to ensure he gets consistent playing time during the three-game exhibition slate and, as risky as this might sound, just let things play out from there.

If we don’t see Klubnik start until December, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s no shame in allowing a young quarterback to develop and absorb the game from the sidelines.

I’m old enough to have seen the likes of Jimmy Clausen and DeShone Kizer get thrown into the fire far earlier than they likely should have.

Whether or not Clausen or Kizer would have become successful quarterbacks is another conversation entirely.

For the sake of the Cade Klubnik Fan Club, let’s hope we’re not eventually having similar discussions about Jets Nation’s new favorite backup. 

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