Klubnik to back up Geno Smith

Smith “added” five carries for seven yards. He also lost a fumble. Coming off a generationally bad Week 4 clunker against the Bears, Smith was hardly outstanding in rainy MetLife Stadium conditions, though he was superior to Deshaun Watson. Not that you would have noticed in real time. Smith fumbled “just” once compared to Watson’s four, also taking “only” four sacks to Watson’s staggering eight. Like Watson, Smith also lost a key pass catcher to a concussion, with Kenyon Sadiq going down in the third quarter. Both before and after Sadiq’s injury, the Jets mostly rode the run, with Braelon Allen turning his 24 carries into a strong 116 yards. Smith has predictably faded a bit after his relatively “hot start,” while he now has a tough Week 6 road test in the reviving Patriots. Smith’s decent weapons — which will hopefully include Adonai Mitchell next week — keep him in the QB2 mix, but only as a low-end option.

The Jets had the ball for a mere 17 minutes, as the Tyson Bagent-led Chicago offense dominated time of possession from start to finish. Smith, who had a combined 58 pass attempts over his past two outings, struggled against consistent pressure from the Bears front seven. His only highlight of the day came on a 58-yard touchdown strikes to Isaiah Williams in the fourth quarter. Smith should be a superflex option next week against the Browns. The return of Adonai Mitchell (finger) would boost Smith’s ceiling.

Smith also ran for 12 yards and completed one of his two two-point conversion attempts. The sacks, of which he took five, were an issue, but it was an otherwise flawless game from the veteran passer. He got particularly hot in the second half, getting points on the board in three of his four drives after the break. Smith was unfortunately sacked and lost the football on the final drive of the game, giving Detroit the win. The Jets don’t look like a team that is going to win many games this year, but it’s not because of Geno. Smith will be a viable Superflex option when he takes on the Bears next week.

The Jets signed Levis after hosting a workout with the former Titan. Levis will likely start as the team’s QB3 and could have a chance to compete with Cade Klubnik for backup duties behind Geno Smith at some point. Levis was one of the NFL’s most inefficient quarterbacks during his time as Tennessee starter.

The Jets weren’t able to make many big plays in this one. Geno’s longest completion was a 43-yard connection to Breece Hall that Hall caught three yards beyond the line of scrimmage. There was not another pass completion longer than 17 yards on the day. That being said, Geno didn’t make many bad decisions and took what the Packers’ defense was giving him. The offensive line provided no push in the running game, so the Jets may need to let Geno play more aggressively if they’re going to put up more points. That could start in Week 3 against a Lions team that figures to score a lot of points.

Smith “added” six rushes for seven yards. Although it was not a productive day in fantasy football, it was a highly encouraging one in “real life.” At least for one game, the Jets’ blocking was 10x better than what Smith experienced in Las Vegas last season, and he took advantage by taking zero sacks and hitting several down-field passes to his talented skill corps. Three different receivers generated gains of 30-plus yards, but Omar Cooper Jr.'s was more of a catch-and-run. Unfortunately, the rookie injured his ankle in the process. Smith is going to be a “highs and lows” quarterback in even the best of years, but there is now reason to believe 2026 will not be all lows like 2025 was with the Raiders. The Packers will be a tougher opponent for the Jets’ home opener in week 2.

Reich has reportedly added wrinkles to the offense he deployed as head coach of the Colts and Panthers. At both of those stops his offenses were near the bottom of the league in most basic offensive metrics. Smith, meanwhile, has looked sharp as the team’s starting quarterback throughout training camp and in limited preseason snaps. He’ll look to bounce back from a nightmarish statistical 2025 season in Vegas. Jets players, including Garrett Wilson, told The Athletic that they have enjoyed the “player empowerment” that comes along with Reich’s coaching style and his offensive scheming, which leaves room for improvisation. The Jets offense could be functional as long as Smith, 35, is healthy and upright.

Smith will undoubtedly only play a series or two, but it’s confirmation he’s over the “soreness” that held him out last weekend. Smith would have reportedly played through the “injury” during the regular season, so it was never believed to be serious. Any injury is worth noting for a 35-year-old player coming off a rough, rough year, but this one is in the rear-view mirror.

Klubnik played two series with the starters in the first preseason game before giving way to Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook, going 5-of-7 for 56 yards. “He has some moxie to him,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said. “He’s very confident, he’s confident in his arm, confident in his ability to elude and make plays with his feet. His ability to be able to come out and operate with the first group the way he did, I thought, was outstanding.” Given how Jets quarterbacking has gone over the past few years and Geno Smith’s age, Klubnik will likely find himself in a starting lineup at some point this season if he can stay healthy.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the team is not concerned about Smith’s foot soreness, writing, “if this was a regular-season game, he’d be a go.” Smith has reportedly been pushing the ball downfield in practice. Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the Jets’ passing attack will have to check back next week to see if the foot issue has been resolved. Rookie QB Cade Klubnik gets the start tonight.