Jets insider suggests bold Brady Cook plan that would shake up QB room

The New York Jets’ quarterback situation is teetering on the edge, and for the first time in weeks, it feels like change might actually be coming. Justin Fields’ struggles have reached a breaking point, and head coach Aaron Glenn left the door open for a QB switch when speaking to reporters on Friday.

Glenn's tone on the matter has noticeably shifted, and as the offense continues to sputter in ways that simply are not sustainable, it's clear the Jets need to do something.

So when SNY’s Connor Hughes floated a surprisingly bold idea on an episode of Jets Final Drive this weekend, it came across as a bit more of a legitimate possibility than it might have a couple of weeks ago.

Hughes didn’t just suggest benching Fields — that feels almost inevitable at this point. He argued the Jets should go a step further by demoting Fields to QB3, elevating undrafted rookie Brady Cook to QB2, and letting Tyrod Taylor take over as the starter.

The idea isn’t necessarily about Cook being the future. It’s about evaluation and giving the Jets a clear internal assessment of every quarterback currently in the building before an offseason that promises to provide change at the position.

And as odd as it may sound, the logic does indeed track.

Is it time for the Jets to start Brady Cook at QB?

Hughes’ plan centers on one reality that the Jets need information, and they need it fast. Cook is currently on the practice squad, but he's been elevated to QB2 twice this year following injuries to Fields and later Taylor.

If the Jets eventually turn things over to Taylor, as Glenn’s comments now make sound increasingly likely, keeping Fields as the backup accomplishes nothing. QB3s don’t get meaningful practice reps. QB2s do.

Elevating Cook would allow the Jets to actually evaluate him. With weeks of legitimate practice work under his belt, Hughes even suggested starting Cook for the final game or two of the season.

Of course, nobody should be operating under the belief that Cook could be a legitimate long-term solution in Florham Park. Instead, the idea would be that the Jets need to know whether he’s worth keeping as a developmental QB2 heading into 2026.

Fields has been an abject disaster this season. He’s thrown for under 60 yards in four of his nine starts, including a string of games where the Jets' passing offense has essentially ceased to exist.

He has the lowest EPA/play of any qualified QB when filtering out garbage time, and despite having the seventh-highest wide-open rate in the NFL, the Jets simply can’t hit those throws.

Glenn acknowledged that on Friday, admitting there were “open guys we missed” and emphasizing the need to “do a better job in the passing game.” That's an indictment of Fields.

Fields is almost certain to be released this offseason, while Taylor will be a free agent with a lengthy injury history. The Jets expect to add a quarterback next year, whether it’s a first-round pick like Fernando Mendoza or Ty Simpson, or a veteran such as Kyler Murray or even Mac Jones.

Before they reach that point, an internal audit of their current QB room makes sense and is the most logical approach. Moving Fields to QB3, elevating Cook, and starting Taylor may not turn the Jets’ season around.

But it would give them a sense of quarterback clarity entering what promises to be an eventful and crucial 2026 offseason. That's probably more valuable than whatever Fields or Taylor reps the Jets would receive down the stretch of an already lost season.