Content available exclusively for subscribers
The Jets search for a veteran backup took a turn on Friday.
Remember on April 28, Zach Rosenblatt of the New York Times announced: “Geno Smith was presented with various options at backup quarterback and he was excited about the prospect of Russell Wilson, per source.”
The Jets reportedly met with Wilson recently about the job after Smith’s recommendation.
But now, on May 1, another New York Times reporter, Andrew Marchand, announced, “Russell Wilson is in deep discussions to go into television, which could mark the end of what is likely a Hall of Fame career as an NFL quarterback, sources briefed on the talks told The Athletic. The NFL Today, CBS’ Sunday pregame show, is considered the favorite as the two sides have had lengthy talks, the sources said.”
Marchand is very plugged into the talent agencies. He makes a lot of announcements for them.
First of all, like we mentioned the other day, it’s somewhat surprising that a team would consult a journeyman QB, with a 42-56 starting record on the NFL level, on who they should sign as a #2 QB.
Players play, coaches coach, and GMs pick the players.
Consulting a journeyman QB, who has been on five NFL teams, about who they should sign as a backup, is not an approach some might take.
But I will just add this.
If the team went to Smith and asked him about his relationship with Wilson, from their time together in Seattle, and if he would be comfortable with him as the #2, that is a little bit of a different story.
But in no way, shape, or form should a journeyman starter be picking his backup. Not his job.
He needs to farm his own land.
And I’m not blaming Smith for any of this, if it’s true. According to Rosenblatt, a team official approached him.
But there is no doubt the Jets need to add a veteran backup.
While Bailey Zappe is in the building, you have to wonder if he has the arm talent to deal with the tricky winds of MetLife Stadium.
“He lacks the arm talent for difficult, off-platform throws,” wrote NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein when Zappe came out of Western Kentucky in 2022. “He won’t beat NFL coverage often enough on tight-window throws.”
Zappe seems like the kind of guy you keep on your practice squad in case of emergency, but the Jets could use a veteran backup with a stronger arm.
2026 fourth-round QB Cade Klubnik is not ready to be the #2 QB.
He has a lot of raw ability, but needs a lot of work, and could use an NFL redshirt year to fix his mechanics and improve his field vision.
Klubnik, the top high school QB prospect in the country coming out of Austin, Texas in 2022, certainly went through the wringer over his four years at Clemson, where the program did not live up to expectations. He kind of made it clear during his conference call with reporters after getting drafted that he didn’t want to talk much about Clemson, but now his future with the Jets.
Klubnik needs a year to decompress after his Clemson experience, and a year to fix his mechanics and decision-making under the watchful eyes of Frank Reich and Bill Musgrave.
Brady Cook is an incredible young man with great character and class, who gives you everything he’s got, but based on what we saw last December, when he went 0-4 as a Jets starter, it’s hard to argue he should be the Jets #2 entering the season.
So the Jets need to go out and find a veteran backup, and bringing back the classy Tyrod Taylor, who is always supportive of whoever the starter is, could be the way to go.
May 1, 2026
Premium will return by 9:30 pm (or sooner) on Monday.
