“We brought in Geno to be our starter. I’m not going to put a cap on him on how many years he can play,” the head coach said during the press conference. “…But obviously in this league, you gotta have a system where are backups and guys that are pushing the starter, you always wanna create this type of competition.“

He also added: “Listen, I’m not gonna say when Cade is going to play. The thing is those guys are going out there and compete. So, right now I like the room.”

Smith and Klubnik are the main faces of a quarterback room that also includes Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe. Who will ultimately take the reins of this team throughout the season?

Geno Smith’s experience or Cade Klubnik’s youth

The choice between Geno Smith and Cade Klubnik represents a classic veteran-versus-prospect dilemma for the New York Jets. Coming off a season with the Raiders where he recorded 3,025 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions, Smith offers the steady hand and seasoned leadership needed to navigate Frank Reich’s offensive system immediately.

In contrast, Cade Klubnik arrives as a high-upside project following a 2025 campaign at Clemson where he threw for 2,943 yards with 16 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, showcasing a dual-threat capability that Smith currently lacks.

For the Jets, a hybrid approach serves them best. While Smith provides the veteran experience necessary to keep the team competitive in the short term, Klubnik represents the long-term future at a low cost. Utilizing Smith as the starter allows Klubnik the essential time to refine his decision-making and adjust to the speed of the NFL without being thrown into the fire prematurely.

What will happen with Breece Hall?

After the draft, most teams will now focus on retaining key stars. While the New York Jets placed the franchise tag on Breece Hall, they have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term contract, something Darren Mougey aims to resolve soon.

“I have a list of things to get to next week, that being one of them. … I anticipate kind of turning my attention to Breece and that contract situation,” the general manager revealed to the press.

Hall has recorded three consecutive seasons surpassing 1,000 total yards, establishing himself as the centerpiece of the offense. Because of this, he is projected to earn $14.3 million (fully guaranteed) for the 2026 season. This figure would automatically place him among the five highest-paid running backs in the league.

“I was really hoping for this. I kind of woke up this morning thinking, ‘I hope the Jets kind of pick me.’ I had a feeling that they were going to pick me, at least,” the quarterback revealed to the press.

Now the debate centers on who will be in charge of leading Aaron Glenn’s team. Will it be the experienced Geno Smith, or will they ultimately bet on Klubnik’s talent?

What can Klubnik bring to the Jets?

In his final 2025 season at Clemson, Cade Klubnik served as a permanent team captain and showed significant efficiency, completing 65.6% of his passes for 2,943 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. While the Tigers’ season had its ups and downs, Klubnik’s poise was evident in his ability to engineer fourth-quarter comebacks and maintain a high PFF passing grade of 80.3.

Selected by the Jets in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2026 Draft, Klubnik is expected to provide valuable depth as a developmental backup. His extensive college experience—40 starts and over 10,000 career passing yards—gives the Jets a “pro-ready” intellectual presence in the quarterback room.

While he may not start immediately, his anticipation and ability to handle high-tempo schemes make him an ideal insurance policy and a potential future starter if he refines his consistency under pressure.

The New York Jets’ QB room

The New York Jets’ quarterback room for the 2026 NFL season is headlined by a “full circle” return for Geno Smith, who was acquired via trade from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. To facilitate the move, Smith renegotiated his contract; while he is set to make $19.5 million this year, the Raiders are covering $16.2 million of that total, leaving the Jets responsible for only about $3.3 million.

Under head coach Aaron Glenn, the depth chart behind Smith features a mix of youth and veteran backup experience. While Cade Klubnik provides a developmental presence, Glenn will also have Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe available to compete for reps. This versatile group gives the Jets several options as they look to stabilize the position and improve upon their recent offensive struggles.

The Jets drafted EDGE David Bailey at No.2, tight end Kenyon Sadiq at 16th, and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at 30th. They were the most active team in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Speaking via the team’s website, Aaron Glenn said, “When you have targets, you identify guys you like, you love — you go get them… And any time you can bring guys with a winning background on your team, that only helps the morale of your team.”

Is Aaron Glenn on the hot seat?

One could argue that Glenn wasn’t given a good hand in his first year as head coach of the Jets. Still, he was not good. His side of the ball didn’t look good and actually regressed, and the offense looked dreadful all season long. In fact, the Jets had no interceptions all season.

That will put any coach on the hot seat, especially if it’s a defensive-minded coach, like Glenn is. The Jets also changed offensive coordinator and brought in Frank Reich. Hence, if this doesn’t work, Glenn might not be there next season.

What’s the winning pedigree Glenn is talking about?

All three players selected by the Jets played in teams that went to the College Football Playoffs. Bailey led the nation in Division 1 sacks with Texas Tech. Kenyon Sadiq was a huge weapon in Dan Lanning’s Oregon, which is an elite program. Last but not least, Omar Cooper Jr. was WR1 for Indiana and won the National Championship.

Two things can be true. The Jets’ willingness to trade down could signal a final decision on drafting Simpson, but it could also be that New York is playing chess, and not checkers ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. After Glenn’s latest comments on Simpson, it sure looks like the soon-to-be rookie quarterback has made quite a first impression on the Gang Green.

“[Simpson] is obviously a coach’s kid. He’s extremely smart. He works his a– off. Even in the private workout that we had, he was very detailed. We’ll see how this process goes, but he did a good job,” Glenn admitted during the NFL‘s head coaches meeting before the 2026 NFL season, via @snyjets on X.

Jets are keeping tabs on Simpson

Needless to say, the Jets need help in almost every area of the football field. Their 3–14 record in 2025 paints a clear picture of where they stand, and, as much as Glenn and company would love to convince themselves otherwise, things rarely change overnight in the NFL for organizations as troubled as New York’s.

Though rare, if one thing can truly put a franchise back on its feet, it’s finding a franchise quarterback in the Draft. Simpson could very well be that for the Jets. New York is not fully sold on that promise, though—or at least, it isn’t saying it out loud for the rest of the league to take notice, which would be smart on the Jets’ part.

“My feeling is, you always want to build your roster with good players. Whatever position that is. Obviously, the quarterback is the top position in your team. If we feel like he’s the best player on the board, that’s who we draft. We’re not trying to reach and grab for guys,” Glenn answered a question on whether the Jets will draft a QB, namely Simpson, in 2026 or wait for the quarterback-stacked class of 2027, per SNY.

Draft Simpson or roll with Geno Smith?

Geno Smith is set to be the starting quarterback for the Jets in 2026. Glenn has even gone as far as to say he can be the signal-caller who takes New York to “the promised land.” Fans in East Rutherford have a hard time buying into that statement, especially after watching Smith spiral out of control with the Las Vegas Raiders last season. Still, they can understand where Glenn’s message is coming from, and why he has no other choice but to say it.

Regardless, the expectation around “The City” is that the Jets will be a bottom-feeder in the NFL next season and end up with a top pick that could put them in prime position to select their next great quarterback. As things stand, the majority of the fan base in the Big Apple is looking ahead to next year’s draft, when the likes of Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, and other high-end quarterback prospects will enter the league.

Glenn has to make an impact fast in New York

As much as Glenn may be excited about that class, he can’t make any such public admission. Glenn must first worry about keeping his head coaching job for another year in an organization that never hesitates to send its head coaches packing. Glenn may never have another shot in the NFL as a head coach, so he must make the most of it. That means taking risks and hoping for the best.

Put into practice, it could very well mean drafting Simpson in the upcoming draft. Glenn and the Jets could take a safer route, but at the end of the day, it’s quarterbacks who change the narrative. If New York drafts a top pass rusher, cornerback, or another position, it will be forgotten quickly. If the Jets find their franchise quarterback, though, those are the kind of draft-day decisions that make NFL history.

“Listen, he’s done it. I mean, those years in Seattle, when he was, I think, Comeback Player of the Year. Man, he was up for MVP early in the season. There’s no doubt in my mind that we brought a competent starter here to this team,” the head coach said via Ari Meirov on X.

At the moment, Smith shares the QB room with Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe. Nevertheless, barring any unforeseen circumstances, everything points to him being the natural replacement for Justin Fields starting in Week 1.

A misstep in Las Vegas

Geno Smith’s tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders proved to be a difficult one-and-done experiment characterized by high turnover rates and a lack of protection. Joining the team via trade from Seattle in March 2025, Smith struggled to find his rhythm behind a porous offensive line that allowed him to be sacked 55 times.

While he managed to throw for 3,025 yards and 19 touchdowns, he also recorded a league-worst 17 interceptions, contributing to a disappointing 2-13 record as a starter. Despite a historic debut where he broke a 45-year-old franchise record for passing yards in a Raiders debut, the team’s overall offensive struggles led to his departure.

Glenn needs stability at QB

Heading into his second season as the Jets’ head coach, Aaron Glenn is prioritizing stability at the quarterback position after a tumultuous 2025 campaign. Last year, his offense struggled significantly under Justin Fields, whose season was marred by inconsistency and a league-high sack rate before a knee injury and eventual benching ended his tenure in New York.

In his absence, the Jets turned to veteran Tyrod Taylor to stabilize the unit, and later utilized Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe as the team limped to a 3-14 finish.

A tough schedule ahead for the Jets

Although the exact dates of the games are still unknown, the New York Jets already know their opponents. If this team wants to compete in the AFC East race, it will need to stay strong week after week.

According to the team’s website, the Jets interviewed Frank Reich for the offensive coordinator vacancy. Reich won the Super Bowl as the Eagles offensive coordinator in 2017. He was then the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers, before going to Stanford, where he served as interim head coach and then as a senior advisor.

Reich is known as a great offensive mind in the business. Head coach Aaron Glenn relieved Tanner Engstrand from his offensive coordinator role after just one season, where the former Detroit Lions passing game coordinator failed to deliver. The Jets offense ranked 29th in total yards, dead-last in passing yards, and 29th in scoring.

Reich has the resume, but is still a risky move

The last time we saw Frank Reich in the NFL, he was being fired after 11 games by Carolina, in which his team went 1-10. This is the fourth shortest head coach stint in NFL history (not interims taken into consideration). After that, it’s been three years since he hasn’t been in the league and that might be troublesome.

Reich is 64 years old and this league has evolved. While no one will deny he knows plenty of football and his offensive playcalling has been above average, there’s no guarantee he will be able to do so after years away from the league. The concerns could increase given that the Jets roster is not stacked by any means.

The Jets don’t even know how they’ll look in 2026

Many players will be out of contract with the Jets in 2026, but not only that, there is some real concern on the quarterback position. Justin Fields has a contract for next year but he might not be seen as the solution. In fact, he was benched by Tyrod Taylor at a point this season.

Hence, Reich, or any of the other interviewees (former Chargers OC Greg Roman, Dolphins quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell, Bills quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry, and Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells), won’t have any certainties coming into the season. Needless to say, it’s a tough job to accept, since the situation is an uphill battle.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Glenn said Tyrod Taylor will be the one commanding the offense against the Baltimore Ravens. This means Justin Fields is going to be benched.

Glenn hinted that this was going to happen last week, but this time it’s happening for real. Both parties have been informed according to Rapoport. Now, it’s a veteran presence behind center.

Taylor is a new dynamic, but not precisely an upgrade

Taylor is a well-known quarterback in the NFL. He was a starter back in the day, but ended up being a journeyman. Taylor already played three games this season, starting one of them. He is 0-1 and has completed only 62.3% of his passes, with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Taylor won’t be a world beater, but at least could provide some maturity in the quarterback position, something that Justin Fields hasn’t done. Fields is a bit wild and erratic, Taylor is more poised and calm. That doesn’t mean he is an upgrade, after all, he has been a backup for a reason.

The Jets will face a desperate team

The Ravens are a desperate team trying to catch up and get a playoff spot. Also, they are on a four-game winning streak. They are unbeaten since the bye week, and the Jets shouldn’t be a team that concern Baltimore.

The Jets have the third worst record in the NFL. They are 2-8, only behind the 1-9 Titans and the 2-9 Giants. The only other teams with a 2-8 record are the Browns and the Saints.

The former Steelers quarterback arrived in the Big Apple this past offseason with the goal of capably replacing Aaron Rodgers. But after an up-and-down start to his tenure, Fields now finds himself squarely in the eye of the storm. His head coach is dissecting every detail as he weighs what decision to make moving forward.

“You know what? I’m evaluating everything, to be honest with you,” Glenn said, via the Associated Press. “I’m evaluating myself, the players, schematics, coaches, I’m evaluating everything. So, I don’t want to just place everything on that, that one situation. I’m just looking at everything, because as a head coach, that’s my job, to make sure that I put this team in the best position to go win games.”

With a handful of intriguing matchups ahead, Glenn still has to carefully evaluate what to do at the QB1 spot — whether to stick with Fields or make a bold move and turn to Tyrod Taylor.

Fields’ season in New York

Quarterback Justin Fields’ first full season with the New York Jets has been defined by frustrating inconsistency, contributing to the team’s ongoing struggles to secure wins. Through nine starts, the dual-threat QB has flashed moments of brilliance but has largely struggled to generate sustained drives.

Fields has compiled 1,885 passing yards with a 59.2% completion rate, throwing 11 touchdowns versus 8 interceptions (79.1 Passer Rating). His rushing ability remains a bright spot, leading the team with 415 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. However, the Jets’ offense ranks near the bottom of the league in points per game, putting Fields’ long-term future with the franchise under intense scrutiny.

What’s next for the Jets?

The Jets are heading into a critical and daunting three-game stretch that will likely define their NFL season. The run begins with a brutal road test against the high-flying Baltimore Ravens, a perennial contender with an elite defense.

The Jets then return home to MetLife Stadium for back-to-back contests, first hosting the surging Atlanta Falcons, followed by a pivotal AFC East divisional clash against the Miami Dolphins.

The Jets entered Week 11 riding a two-game winning streak. Unfortunately for them, they ran into one of the NFL’s hottest teams. The Patriots, currently a juggernaut, controlled the matchup and handed New York a 27-14 loss.

While many expected that result, Aaron Glenn still hoped for a stronger performance from his players — especially Justin Fields, who remains under the microscope.

Aaron Glenn puts extra pressure on Justin Fields after loss to Patriots

The Jets are far from their best moment this season. After securing their first win in Week 8, they seemed to be gaining momentum, but Week 11 brought them back to reality.

On the road in Foxborough, the Jets could not match the Patriots’ level of play. Despite the 13-point difference, New York struggled to provide any real challenge.

Justin Fields remains the starting quarterback — in part due to Tyrod Taylor’s lingering health issues — but he once again fell short of expectations. His performance immediately reignited criticism about his consistency and decision-making.

Throughout the game, Fields was asked to use his legs more than usual. While the Jets understand his rushing ability is one of his biggest strengths, Aaron Glenn has made it clear he doesn’t want Fields to rely on running as a crutch. Instead, he wants him to focus on developing as what he is: a quarterback.

“We don’t want to make a habit of our quarterbacks continuing to run because we can put them in harm’s way,” HC Aaron Glenn said. “I felt like if we get a fast start we’ll be in a good position, and Justin ran the ball quite a bit. The thing is, we can’t put Justin in a situation where he’s a running back, and I think we all know that, because we’re putting him in harm’s way.”

Garrett Wilson was unable to finish the game in which his team ultimately defeated the Browns at home due to knee discomfort—the same issue that kept him out in Weeks 7 and 8. Despite this, the head coach is confident he’ll be available in Foxborough.

“As we go through that whole process as far as imaging — getting him checked out by the docs before we really stamp what the issue is,” Glenn said at a Monday press conference. “Hopefully he’ll be good to play this week, but I don’t want to stamp that just yet.”

Following the departure of Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner in last week’s trade deadline, Wilson has emerged as one of the team’s top leaders, alongside players like Breece Hall and Justin Fields.

Wilson’s impact on the Jets’ offense

Despite the New York Jets‘ offensive struggles, Garrett Wilson continues to be the unquestioned centerpiece of their passing attack. Through six games this season, the star receiver has amassed 36 receptions for 395 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Wilson’s 56 targets underscore his critical role as the Jets’ primary playmaker, showing he is the go-to option that defenses must neutralize if they hope to slow down New York’s limited offense.

In search of their third win

The New York Jets, fresh off their second consecutive victory, face a quick turnaround as they travel to Gillette Stadium to battle the division-rival New England Patriots this Thursday night.

The primetime matchup gives the Jets a chance to secure their first three-game winning streak of the season. A victory on the road against a familiar AFC East foe would be a crucial step in signaling a genuine mid-season revival.

The Jets’ next challenge comes at home against the Cleveland Browns, and uncertainty over who will start at quarterback is starting to loom. Fields or Tyrod Taylor — those are the two options the coach has to choose from.

NFL reporter Rich Cimini revealed on his official X account (formerly Twitter) that Glenn has yet to give any indication of who might start at MetLife Stadium. However, all signs point to the former Bears and Steelers quarterback once again taking the opening snap.

“Once again, Aaron Glenn refuses to announce his starting QB. All he says is, ‘We’ll have a quarterback.’ He won’t even say if he hopes to get to a point where there’s an entrenched starter. And so it goes. Obviously, Fields is expected to get the nod. #Jets,” the insider reported via @RichCimini.

Busy week in New York

In a stunning, franchise-altering move, the New York Jets effectively hit the reset button at the NFL Trade Deadline, shipping out their two defensive cornerstones: All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

With the team mired in a losing season, General Manager Darren Mougey orchestrated a massive haul of future draft capital, sending Gardner to the surging Indianapolis Colts for a pair of first-round picks, and dealing Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for another first-rounder and more assets.

The trades represent a clear pivot toward a full rebuild centered around securing a franchise quarterback, but the immediate loss of two elite defensive stars plunges the Jets’ remaining 2025 campaign into uncertainty.

What’s next for the Jets?

Following their dramatic trade deadline defensive overhaul, the New York Jets face a brutal three-game stretch that will severely test their depleted roster. The schedule begins with a demanding home matchup against the fierce Cleveland Browns, followed by two challenging road games against playoff contenders.

They travel to Foxborough to take on the arch-rival New England Patriots, who are always tough in division play, before heading to Baltimore for a daunting clash with the dominant Ravens. With key defensive stars now elsewhere, this trio of games presents a massive uphill climb for a Jets team focused more on evaluating young talent than chasing wins.