The Jets will get a long look at their backup quarterbacks Friday night against the Giants.
Starting quarterback Geno Smith is not going to play in the preseason finale, according to a source.
The Jets are going to rest most of their starters who have already played this preseason. Smith played just one series in the preseason.
Smith’s absence means a lot of Cade Klubnik, Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook against the Giants.
Klubnik has had a strong training camp and seems the likely choice to be Smith’s backup, but there is still a chance that general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn seek a veteran through a trade or a waiver claim.
One thing offensive coordinator Frank Reich said he is not worried about is the lack of a veteran quarterback to help Smith along.
“Listen, we’ve got [QB coach] Bill Musgrave in that room, I’m in that room,” Reich said. “So, Geno has some seasoned quarterbacks in the room with him.
“Cade is, you know, listen, whatever decision’s going to be made will be made and that’ll be made by A.G. and [Mougey], right? But Cade has done well. He’s done well and it’s a really good dynamic in that room. It’s a really good dynamic in that room.”
Klubnik played longer against the Steelers last week. It is unclear how much he will play Friday. Reich praised his play in Pittsburgh.
“He’s extremely poised,” Reich said. “I mean, probably my favorite play for him in the game was when we were backed up and we drop back in the pocket and he’s in the end zone, and we called something to the right that I thought was going to be a get it out, quick thing, and they covered it, and so he had to progress all the way back to the No. 3 guy on the backside, and man, he just looked extremely poised in the pocket.
“That’s hard to do for a quarterback in the NFL. Standing in the end zone, No. 1’s not open, No. 2’s not open, ‘OK, let me work back here to No. 3 and I’m standing in the end zone.’ He did it like he’s been doing it for years, so that was probably, for him, my favorite play. So, he’s made good progress.”
