Rookie Cade Klubnik leads 2 scoring drives after Geno Smith is scratched in Jets' 24-16 loss to Bucs
New York Jets quarterback Cade Klubnik runs up field during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cade Klubnik knew he’d make his NFL debut early in the New York Jets’ preseason opener. It turned out it came even sooner than expected for the rookie fourth-rounder.
Klubnik led the Jets to scores on his two drives after a surprise start in place of a scratched Geno Smith in a 24-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday night.
“I was definitely excited,” Klubnik said. “I think the first thing that I kind of thought to myself was that not a lot was going to change. I knew Geno was only going to play maybe eight to 10 plays and I was ready to go in early after that.
“So in my mind, I just got to go in eight to 10 plays earlier.”
Klubnik, competing for the No. 2 quarterback job, opened the game under center because Smith has a sore ankle, coach Aaron Glenn said after the game.
“Nothing to be alarmed about,” Glenn said.
Smith was expected to play at least a few snaps, along with the rest of New York’s starters, but Glenn said the quarterback got banged up in the team’s joint practice with the Buccaneers on Wednesday and the Jets opted to rest him in favor of Klubnik.
“Thursday, I told him he wasn’t going to play — precautionary,” Glenn said. “Then I went right to Cade and told him he would be the starter, which he was champing at the bit to be able to do.”
Klubnik looked confident and competent against the Buccaneers, who sat their starters on both sides of the ball.
The former Clemson star, working with the starting offense, completed a 12-yard pass to Mason Taylor to begin the 12-play, 65-yard opening drive. He had completions of 21 and 11 yards to Garrett Wilson on third-down plays, but threw incomplete to Wilson in the end zone on third-and-goal from the Buccaneers 9. New York settled for Cade York’s 27-yard field goal.
Klubnik came on with the Jets’ backups on their second possession and got things started with a 5-yard pass to first-rounder Omar Cooper Jr. Braelon Allen, back from a knee injury that limited him to four games last season, capped the drive with a 31-yard dash into the end zone to make it 10-0.
That was all for Klubnik, who finished 5 of 7 for 56 yards.
“I give him a lot of credit going out there and operating the way that he did,” Glenn said. “Not surprised, not one bit with him. He did a good job.”
Klubnik was replaced by Bailey Zappe, who had an interception returned 47 yards for a touchdown by undrafted rookie Ayden Garnes on his first series.
Zappe’s second series also ended by being picked off, this time by Rashad Wisdom. Zappe finished 6 of 10 for 55 yards and the two INTs before being replaced in the third quarter by Brady Cook, who started the final four games for the Jets last season.
Bucs backups under center with Mayfield and Browning sitting
Third-string quarterback Connor Bazelak started for the Buccaneers with Baker Mayfield and the starters sitting out and backup Jake Browning unavailable.
Browning was expected to start, but he tweaked his back during the Buccaneers’ joint practice with the Jets on Tuesday.
On Tampa Bay’s third drive, Bazelak nearly had a touchdown pass to third-rounder Ted Hurst III, but undrafted rookie Mory Bamba knocked it out of his hands in the end zone. The Bucs settled for a 23-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin.
Bazelak was 12 of 20 for 72 yards before being replaced by undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels for Tampa Bay’s first possession of the second half.
Daniels has a dynamic debut for the Bucs
Daniels’ first NFL series was capped by Josh Williams’ 12-yard touchdown run that put the Buccaneers up 17-13.
Daniels, who played parts of six seasons at Kansas, capped the scoring by running the ball up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown with 3:24 left. He was 10 of 15 for 111 yards and ran for 9 yards and the score on three carries.
“He was calm under pressure and he let the system work for him, as opposed to just trying to make a play and be seen,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “He did some very good things tonight from a poise standpoint.”
Injuries
Bamba, who had four passes defensed for the Jets, returned in the fourth quarter after being checked for a head injury late in the third.
Up next
Buccaneers: Host Kansas City on Aug. 22.
Jets: At Pittsburgh on Aug. 21.
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