Rookie QB Cade Klubnik Leads Jets to Early Lead in Preseason Debut vs. Buccaneers

After Smith sustained the ankle damage throughout the joint observe with the Bucs, Glenn stated : “I went right to Cade and told him that he would be the starter, which he was champing at the bit to be able to do, getting a chance to go with the ones [starters]. So, I thought he did a hell of a job, not getting a lot of rep with the ones. So, I give him a lot of credit for going out there and operating the way that he did.”

Later on the drive, Klubnik once more discovered Wilson for 11 yards to the Bucs’ 23-yards line. On the following play, RB Breece Hall took a handoff, lower down the left flank, however stumbled as he seemed to be headed for the top zone. The Jets’ drive stalled when Klubnik’s go behind the top zone sailed over Wilson’s outstretched arms.

After Tampa Bay punted on its subsequent sequence, Klubnik accomplished one go, 5 yards to rookie Omar Cooper Jr. on the suitable flank, earlier than RB Braelon Allen, who’s coming back from a knee damage that derailed his 2025 season, carried three straight instances — 8 yards, 4 and a 31-yard scamper into the top zone for a 10-0 Jets lead with 2:51 left within the opening quarter.

“I mean, when we watched him in college, he was the same way,” Glenn stated. “Nothing changes. He has some moxie to him. He’s very confident. He’s confident in his arm. He’s confident in his ability to elude and make plays with his feet, and his ability to be able to come out and operate with the first group the way he did, to me I thought was outstanding. So still some things that he has to learn, some mistakes that he made in the game. But listen, he’s going to be quick to correct those.”