Geno Smith will not play in the Jets' preseason opener on Aug. 14 because of foot soreness, and Cade Klubnik will get the start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Klubnik, a 110th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, is set to make his pro debut.
The move changes the Jets' quarterback plan for the first night of the preseason and gives Aaron Glenn's team an early look at the rookie they drafted to develop. Smith is being held out only as a precaution, and he would be expected to play through the same issue in the regular season.
That is why Klubnik's first appearance matters now. The Jets have spent the offseason treating him as a developmental quarterback, and this game gives them a chance to see how he handles the offense with starters around him, rather than in a late-summer cameo against backups.
There is also a clear line between caution and concern. Smith, 35, is expected to be available when the games count, which is why the foot soreness is not being treated as a major setback. But preseason snaps are the one place where the Jets can afford to slow him down, especially if the alternative is making a small problem worse.
That matters because Smith's return carries its own story. After the 2016 season, he left the Jets, and this would have been his first game action with the team since then. Instead, the spotlight shifts to Klubnik, whose play during the 2025 season pushed his draft stock down from first-round talk to the fourth round before the Jets took him with the 110th overall pick.
For Glenn, the opener offers both caution and information. The Jets get an extended look at the early returns on their investment, and they can do it without asking Smith to risk a more serious injury in August. If Klubnik plays well, the Jets gain a useful answer. If he does not, the larger question will wait for the regular season, where Smith is expected back in the role that still belongs to him.
