Cade Klubnik gets second Jets preseason start, completing 6 of 13 passes in MetLife home test

The New York Jets closed out their preseason Friday night at MetLife Stadium against their local rival, the Giants, and used the final game as another evaluation opportunity for their quarterback depth chart. With most front-line players held out, rookie Cade Klubnik received another start, his second preseason game as the Jets continued to sort through what their offense looks like when it is driven by the younger group.

Klubnik’s evening followed the typical arc of a late-preseason audition. He completed 6 of 13 passes for 59 yards and added an interception as the Jets experienced an up-and-down stretch on offense. The result did not come with the benefit of a full first-team workload, meaning the focus was less on statistical dominance and more on process, decision-making, and how the passing game functions when rotations are in flux.

Veteran quarterback Geno Smith watched from the sideline in the late game, according to the Jets, which underscored that Klubnik’s reps were the point of the evening. Smith had been used earlier in the preseason, but the Jets’ staff chose to prioritize a different look in the finale, placing more of the risk and responsibility on the rookie.

The matchup also came with an immediate roster deadline in the background. Teams are required to reduce to a 53-man roster, plus a 16-player practice squad, by 6 p.m. on Sunday. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn’s approach in the final preseason week, as described by the team, reflected that timing, with most starters primarily staying off the field on offense.

Although Klubnik’s stat line included an interception, the Jets still created a clear window to evaluate him under game conditions with working groups rather than scout-team-only sessions. Preseason quarterback evaluations often hinge on whether a quarterback can navigate mismatches, manage pressure, and keep the offense moving through imperfect timing. For Klubnik, the question going forward is how quickly he can improve the mechanics and reads that affect ball security and completion percentage.

The Giants game also marked the 57th preseason meeting between the teams, a reminder that these matchups are frequently more about temperament than refinement. Even with reserves and rotations at the center of the reps, both franchises use this late stage to gauge whether younger players can handle the pace and complexity of an opponent’s preparation on a national stage.

With the roster cut deadline approaching, the Jets now head into the short runway between preseason and the start of regular-season roster construction. Klubnik’s performance, including the interception, gives the staff additional evidence for final decisions on the quarterback room and the surrounding offensive depth, where each carry, catch, and snap is weighed as a building block for what comes next.