The Jets just made their stance on Cade Klubnik crystal clear

Most New York Jets fans probably expected to see an extended Cade Klubnik audition in the team's first preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday, especially once the news broke that Geno Smith would not be playing.

Smith was sidelined with a sore ankle he suffered during Wednesday’s joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, opening the door for Klubnik to start. With Smith unavailable, the assumption was that the rookie might play the entire first half and get his longest look of the summer.

Instead, the Jets surprisingly pulled him after two drives. Klubnik played well, finishing 5-of-7 for 56 yards, taking one sack and avoiding any turnovers. The Jets scored on both possessions, first on a 27-yard Cade York field goal that capped a 12-play, 65-yard drive and then on a 31-yard Braelon Allen touchdown following a quick four-play, 48-yard possession.

Still, Jets fans understandably wanted to see more. In a weird way, the decision to take Klubnik out so early may have told us everything we needed to know.

The Jets are already treating Cade Klubnik like their QB2

Smith’s absence wasn’t considered serious, for what it's worth. Aaron Glenn called him day-to-day after the game, and the expectation is that he would have played if this were a regular-season situation.

There just wasn't a reason to risk the veteran in August. That should have created an opportunity for Klubnik to play more football. The Jets had a chance to give their fourth-round rookie an extended look against an NFL defense and let him work through whatever mistakes came with it.

But apparently, two drives were enough. Bailey Zappe replaced Klubnik and struggled, completing 6-of-10 passes for 55 yards with two interceptions. Brady Cook was better, finishing 9-of-15 for 108 yards, but neither quarterback has looked like legitimate competition for the backup job this summer.

That's a notable change from the spring. Klubnik was splitting QB2 reps with Zappe and Cook during OTAs before a back injury cost him minicamp. Once training camp started, that competition essentially disappeared. Klubnik has been the clear backup quarterback in camp this summer.

At this point, it's evident that Zappe and Cook are little more than camp arms and should not be considered legitimate candidates to be the Jets' QB2 in 2026. The actual competition, however, could be whatever quarterback isn’t currently on the roster.

If the Jets decide they don’t trust Klubnik as Smith’s primary backup, they could always explore a veteran addition through a trade, roster cutdowns, or free agency. Someone like Andy Dalton or Carson Wentz could theoretically become an option depending on how the rest of the league shakes out.

But the way the Jets handled Saturday’s game suggests they aren’t exactly desperate to make that move.

Klubnik’s performance was solid, in all fairness. He looked hesitant on a couple of plays, which isn’t exactly shocking for a rookie quarterback seeing his first NFL action. The offensive line protected him well, Garrett Wilson made a terrific catch, and the Jets’ skill players helped make his life easier.

Klubnik still did his part, though. Whether he's done enough to inspire complete confidence as an NFL QB2 is another question.

The Jets traded up to select Klubnik in the fourth round because they viewed him as an NFL-ready quarterback who projects as a long-term backup. But not only did the Jets view him as a potential future backup, they very clearly earmarked him for that role in 2026.

Klubnik hasn’t been perfect this summer. He's mixed impressive throws with rookie mistakes, and Saturday wasn’t some dominant performance that suddenly erased every concern about trusting a Day 3 rookie behind Smith.

But the Jets seem comfortable anyway. Maybe they wanted to protect him from unnecessary preseason snaps. Maybe they had already seen enough. Either way, the Jets have all but rolled out the red carpet for Klubnik to win the job.

Unless something changes over the next few weeks, Cade Klubnik will likely be the Jets’ QB2 to start the 2026 season. And that's a decision the Jets may have already made entering the summer.

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