Jets' Geno Smith adds to Cade Klubnik hype amid tanking talk

Whether or not people within the New York Jets actually view 2026 fourth-round draft pick Cade Klubnik as a potential future franchise quarterback is a storyline that could hover over the club throughout the fall. 

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Jets starter and journeyman signal-caller Geno Smith shared that he is impressed with what he has seen from Klubnik thus far amid springtime workouts. 

Cade Klubnik is already impressing his mentor

"Cade’s been doing great," Smith said about Klubnik, per John Flanigan of SNY. "He can spin the heck out of the ball. I feel like he’s a guy who is always prepared -- he’s been preparing as if he’s going to be the starter, and that’s something that is important in this league."

The Jets will not hold any type of competition for the QB1 job this summer, as Smith is cemented atop the depth chart. That said, some members of the NFL community believe the Jets are on track to finish yet another season with a losing record. If Gang Green looks more like a pretender than a contender around Thanksgiving, getting a look at Klubnik could benefit the franchise's long-term quarterback situation. 

For an article published on Thursday, NFL insider Jason La Canfora of FanSided wrote that the Jets "are clearly all-in on landing a new QB in the 2027 draft." Next year's draft class is expected to feature multiple top-tier quarterback prospects, such as Texas' Arch Manning and Oregon's Dante Moore. 

Geno Smith believes the future is bright for Cade Klubnik

"You have to prepare every day as if you’re the starter and you’re going to be out there playing -- that’s the only way to do it, and that’s all I’ve seen from him," Smith added about Klubnik. "I think he’s got a bright future in this league."

For a piece posted on Friday morning, Jets reporter Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic noted that "Klubnik continued to impress" during Thursday's practice. History shows that Jets fans won't wait long to begin calling for the team to give Klubnik a chance to start if Smith fails to notch a win over the first few weeks of the upcoming season.