It appeared earlier this offseason that the New York Jets were set to add some more experience to the quarterback room.
However, it looks like the Jets are calling an audible at the line of scrimmage.
“Now they haven’t come out and said it, but that’s exactly what they’re thinking right now. They are going to hold off on the older veteran guy as the backup and let these guys fight it out,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini explained on the “Jets Collective” podcast.
The Jets hosted veteran quarterback Russell Wilson on a free agent visit at their team facilities. Wilson revealed that the Jets offered him a contract in early May.
Why the Change of Heart?
The Jets are “really high” on rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik, according to Cimini.
“They’re going to give him a runway here. They’ve got 10 OTA practices, plus three minicamp practices; he is going to get a lot of reps. I don’t want to say it’s his job to lose, I don’t know if that would be an accurate characterization, but they’re going to give him a chance to show that he can be that guy,” Cimini said on the “Jets Collective” podcast.
Outside of Geno Smith, who has already been crowned the QB1, the green and white have three other passers on the roster.
That group includes Klubnik, Bailey Zappe, and Brady Cook.
After the Jets complete their 10 OTA practices and three-day minicamp, Cimini said the team will “reassess” the quarterback position. He explained that at that time, they will decide if they want to add a veteran.
Cimini added that the “door is open” for Klubnik to win the QB2 job potentially.
An Encouraging Sign
If you are a Jets fan, this recent development has to be a good sign. Initially, it looked like the Jets were going to add a veteran passer to back up Smith.
They could still do that at some point this offseason, but the team’s hesitation to pull the trigger on that move means that they have liked what they have seen from Klubnik so far.
Although it has been a very brief sample size, consisting of just a handful of rookie minicamp practices and some classroom sessions, things become more real during OTAs.
At that stage of the offseason, the rookies will start to mix with the veterans on the roster. In other words, things will get more difficult for Klubnik. He won’t be working out against plumbers; for the first time, he will be competing with a team of NFL players.
I spoke with the PxP Voice of the Clemson Tigers, Don Munson, on “Boy Green Daily” post-NFL draft.
During our conversation, he indicated that what’s best for Klubnik is getting some time to marinate on the bench. There is a chance that Klubnik could win the QB2 job this offseason. If that happens, the talented rookie would just be a single snap away from running onto the field.
If the team is going to leave the door open for that possibility, they’d better feel pretty confident that Klubnik is ready for the spotlight. In a perfect world, Smith would start all 17 games at quarterback for the Jets. If you have been around this team long enough, you know that perfect world scenarios don’t always play out.
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