The New York Jets' future franchise quarterback is most likely not on the roster right now, but rather in college football, set to enter the 2027 NFL Draft class.
Geno Smith is older and might not have much tread on his tires after the 2026 season. But what about Cade Klubnik, the rookie fourth-round quarterback out of Clemson? Well, the Jets believe in him, which isn't a surprise, as they wouldn't have drafted him if they thought otherwise.
But ESPN's Rich Cimini revealed that the Jets actually believe in Klubnik "more than we thought." But why? The Jets' inactivity in the market for a backup QB should show just how highly they view Klubnik heading into the year.
"The organization believes in Cade Klubnik -- more than we thought," Cimini writes. "You knew there was an affinity for the former Clemson star when they traded up 18 spots to draft him in the fourth round, but they doubled down by not bringing in a seasoned quarterback for the No. 2 job."
Klubnik is getting the reins as the Jets' backup quarterback behind Smith, meaning if Smith were to get hurt, then the rookie fourth-rounder would be in the game with the starting offense.
"They made it Klubnik's job to lose ... and he hasn't. Not in emphatic fashion, though," Cimini writes.
Even though Klubnik didn't exactly light it up this preseason or during practice, he showed enough promise to convince the Jets to stick with him as their backup.
There were likely multiple chances to bring in a veteran to be the No. 2 QB behind Smith instead of the rookie Klubnik. But the Jets have decided to stick with the former Clemson QB, opting for him over any other backup option they could've had.
Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe are the No. 3 and No. 4 QBs on the roster. Neither is especially great, and both aren't much competition for Klubnik.
The Jets could only have a strong belief in Klubnik, considering the circumstances, as their other QB options on the depth chart and their lack of spending at the position outside of Smith and Klubnik show that these are their QBs for 2026.
