Jets adjust QB plan as Geno Smith is scratched from Friday game vs. Buccaneers, Cade Klubnik expected to start

The New York Jets’ plan for their Friday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit a quick pivot at the quarterback position. According to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo and as reported by Yahoo Sports, Geno Smith has been scratched due to foot soreness, changing the set of starters the team would deploy.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn had previously outlined that the team’s starters would play against Tampa Bay on Friday night. The update to that plan matters because preseason coaching intentions often carry roster-evaluation weight, especially at the quarterback position where timing, reads, and protection calls can define a depth chart more than short practice reps.

Despite Smith’s absence, the report frames the situation as not being a serious concern. The same reporting indicates the Jets would expect Smith to play if this were a regular-season game, a distinction that suggests the team is prioritizing workload management rather than treating the injury as an escalating problem.

With Smith out, Cade Klubnik is expected to start for the Jets. That gives the Jets a fresh look at their offense under game conditions with a different quarterback skill set, including how the line communicates protection and how the wide receiver and tight end corps adapts to Klubnik’s rhythm and cadence.

For the Buccaneers, the matchup also becomes a different evaluation lens. Tampa Bay’s defense will not see the same quarterback timing and ball placement they would have prepared for in the starter-week scenario. That can shift what defensive coordinators emphasize Friday night, particularly in coverage responsibilities and pressure disguise, since quarterback tendencies can influence those calls.

It is still an exhibition framework, and any preseason “first unit” performance should be interpreted in that context. Smith’s reported level of concern, coupled with the expectation that he would be available in a regular-season setting, points to a short-term change rather than a multi-week disruption.