Jets Don't Have to Rush QB2 Plan During Mandatory Minicamp

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn speaks at a press conference during minicamp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. | John Jones-Imagn Images

No decision needs to be made by the New York Jets when it comes to their quarterback room just yet.

Geno Smith is the entrenched starter. New York is confident in his abilities to lead the team through a 17-game marathon. After the veteran signal-caller, though, things get murky. The Jets are holding an open competition between career backup Bailey Zappe, fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik, and former undrafted free agent Brady Cook.

The group doesn't exactly pop as a quality backup option across the board.

“(There is an) Open competition for backup," Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said. "Geno is our 1, and Bailey is our 2, but those things can change as we go through practices."

But while fans grow worried about the team's backup situation, the Jets know they have plenty of time to solve that potential need. And with plenty of other organizations around the league that have a plethora of quality backups, there's no need to panic just yet.

Jets don't need to panic about backup QB at this moment

If there's one thing the Jets under general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn have shown, it's that the organization will not press the panic button when they have a pressing need. In fact, they'll allow the players on their roster to duke it out, and if a winner still doesn't show themselves, they'll act when they have no other choice.

That's what happened when the team acquired defensive tackles Jowon Briggs and Harrison Phillips before the start of the regular season last year. Now, both players are considered central cogs in Gang Green's plans this year.

Backup quarterbacks do not carry the same need as a starting defensive tackle, but it's still an important position. Since 2020, the Jets have used three different quarterbacks to start multiple games four times.

They are absolutely a position of need for this team. But that doesn't mean a move is coming for one.

Luckily for New York, they don't have to look far if the team finds itself in a position to acquire one.

Philadelphia Eagles could provide an answer to Jets' QB2 problem

The Philadelphia Eagles are an interesting case study for the Jets on how important a backup quarterback is to a team. Since 2000, the Eagles have been to the playoffs 17 times, with a quarter of those runs led by backup quarterbacks.

So when the Eagles acquired Andy Dalton earlier this offseason and drafted Cole Payton on the final day of the 2026 draft, no one was really surprised.

Except the Eagles already had a quality backup on the roster. Tanner McKee, the former sixth-round draft pick out of Stanford, has played well in a small sample size for Philadelphia. He also remains under contract for the 2026 season.

The Eagles are holding their own competition between Dalton and McKee with the veteran journeyman receiving a bulk of the backup reps so far in minicamp. Eventually, the Birds are going to have to choose which player they would like to keep. The other one will most likely be on the trade block or cut in August.

That's where the Jets' patience could win out. Instead of jumping the gun to sign a veteran in free agency, the team could wait out Philadelphia and come away with a quality backup on a team-friendly deal who has playing experience.

New York knows it must 17-gamehave someone step up behind Smith eventually. To think the 35-year-old will be able to play a full 17-game season would be unlike the team's recent history.

But instead of panicking about the current situation, all New York has to do is wait. Eventually, a quality backup quarterback could be presented to them.