Jets waive Brady Cook as part of final cuts

Cook joins starter Malik Willis and recent acquisition Kyle McCord in the pecking order at quarterback for the Dolphins, with the assumption that McCord will serve as the primary backup on game days during the regular season. Either way, Cook now gets a fresh start after four starts across five appearances for the Jets during his rookie season. Tight end Justin Joly also joins the Dolphins after being released by the Broncos. The team kept four tight ends through final cuts, making the path to a roster spot more muddied, but he lands on his feet after being forced to contemplate a potential practice squad spot in Denver. Also claimed were DB Marcellus Dial, T Chukwuebuka Godrick, T Jarrett Kingston, DB Reese Taylor, and DB Julius Wood.

Glenn added that Zappe took the second-team reps behind Geno Smith in practice on Wednesday. Zappe has the most NFL experience of the bunch, so that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. It also doesn’t mean he will hold the QB2 job into Week 1. Since entering the NFL, Zappe ranks 78th out of 84 qualified quarterbacks in EPA per play (min. 150 plays). The good news for him is that Cook holds spot No. 84. As a fourth-round pick, Klubnik does have some potential, and his competition for the QB2 job is exceptionally weak. No matter who earns the backup gig, the hope for Jets fans will be that we never see them in 2026.

It was a really rough afternoon for Cook, who couldn’t get anything going against the Bills’ backups. For much of the second half, the Jets simply stopped trying to throw the ball entirely. The rookie from Missouri was likely only starting with the team trying to secure a higher draft pick, but he will probably be back at the team’s third quarterback next season. The 24-year-old will finish the season going 88-for-153 for 739 yards with two touchdowns and seven interceptions in five games.

Cook has done very little to elevate the Jets’ offense in his three starts so far. He’s had less than 200 passing yards in all three games and has one touchdown to seven interceptions. He’ll get one more chance to make a lasting impression on the new Jets’ regime in Week 18 against the Bills.

Per usual, Cook couldn’t get much going on offense. He has now been held under 200 passing yards in all three of his starts. He has one passing touchdown and seven interceptions this year. His latest came on a deep shot where he simply didn’t have the arm to get his deep ball over the top of New England’s defense. Cook might be able to develop into a long-term backup, but Week 18 versus the Bills will likely be his last start for a long time.

The Jets continue to evaluate their quarterback position ahead of the offseason. Cook took a whopping eight sacks in Week 16’s loss to the Saints and will have a chance to take eight more in next week’s game against the Patriots. Cook can be avoided in all fantasy formats.

Cook, making his third NFL start, was under siege all day, taking eight sacks and narrowly avoiding a handful of others against a feisty New Orleans front seven. Cook once again targeted AD Mitchell more than any other Jets pass catcher, though running backs and tight ends saw most of Cook’s pass attempts, which were disproportionately check downs. Next week against the Patriots, Cook — if he gets the start — will barely be playable in superflex leagues.

Cook finished as the overall QB26 last week against the Jaguars. Although this week’s opponent fields a more fantasy-friendly defense, Cook remains a low-end QB2 at best. Both QB Tyrod Taylor (groin) and QB Justin Fields (knee) are returning from injury. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that the healthier player will be given the No. 2 quarterback role on game day.

Glenn’s delayed decision to name a starter could be due to injuries, as Justin Fields (knee) and Tyrod Taylor (groin) were both unable to play in Week 15, or he just wants more time to evaluate his QB room full of backups. Brady Cook threw for 176-1-3 in his first career start against the Jaguars in Week 15, and would get the Saints in Week 16 if he were to be named the starter. The situation is a clear: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cook wasn’t the problem in the Jets’ four-score road loss. Well, ok, at least not the main problem. Processing quickly and looking more decisive than he did sometimes even at Mizzou, Cook didn’t seem rattled by the speed of the NFL in his first start, though his mistakes mounted after Gang Green went down 21-7 early in the second quarter. Those kinds of obvious passing situations are going to be a problem for any young starter, let alone an undrafted rookie. So if Cook wasn’t the reason the Jets fell behind, he helped make the final score look worse, perhaps most of all when he threw a late inexcusable end zone interception. Trying to find Allen Lazard (a problem for all quarterbacks), Cook just kind of lofted the ball up in the air. They do not teach you to do that in the field of play in the red zone. So it was a “learning experience,” but not one screaming “Cook must be benched for Week 16.” That one will find the Jets on the road in New Orleans. As was the case today, Cook will be off superflex radars, and players like Adonai Mitchell will be “play at your own risk.” That, of course, is if neither Justin Fields (knee) nor Tyrod Taylor (groin) can return.