Jets decide to keep Cade Klubnik as No. 2 quarterback heading into regular season

The New York Jets are planning to enter the season with rookie Cade Klubnik as their primary backup quarterback, rather than pursuing another option after Monday’s roster moves. According to reporting from Yahoo Sports, the Jets did not claim a quarterback off waivers and, more importantly, there is not expected to be a new acquisition “via another avenue,” leaving Klubnik in place as the team’s No. 2.

Klubnik’s place on the 53-man roster was secured when he made the cut, and he will step in behind Geno Smith as the established starter. The same report says that head coach Aaron Glenn addressed the decision at a Monday press conference, indicating the coaching staff intends to remain with the fourth-round pick in that role.

For a franchise, the backup quarterback spot is often defined less by offseason plans and more by what a team believes it can trust during practice structure, game-week preparation, and late-game scenarios. With Smith as the starter, the Jets’ approach suggests they see Klubnik as ready enough to provide stability in the offense’s command-and-control, even if he is not expected to drive a full-time workload.

Roster context also matters. Making the 53-man roster as the only backup behind the starter concentrates developmental expectations around one player, which can shape how a team uses the reps during the week. Even when a backup is not expected to play, the way he practices with the first or second unit, how he communicates protections, and how he runs the offense during two-minute periods can matter for both the starter’s rhythm and the team’s contingency plans.

The Jets’ decision not to add another quarterback also keeps roster flexibility focused elsewhere. It indicates a preference to allocate personnel spots and development opportunities to positions the team views as requiring additional competition, rather than carrying a third quarterback for insurance or creating a competition for the No. 2 job.

Still, a backup quarterback plan is rarely static. Teams can adjust if a starter’s availability changes, if a backup’s performance in practice does not meet expectations, or if a new quarterback opportunity emerges closer to the season. For now, though, the public posture from Glenn is straightforward: Klubnik remains the backup, and the Jets are not indicating an immediate change.

The next step to watch is how Klubnik is deployed in the day-to-day rhythm of the offense as the regular season approaches, particularly how the staff balances his workload behind Smith. If the Jets’ plan holds, Klubnik’s preseason-to-regular-season transition will become a key lens for evaluating how New York manages risk at the most premium position on the field. If it does not, the coaching staff’s “stick with him” stance will quickly be tested by the realities of preparation and game-week execution.