Geno Smith sees great things coming for his New York Jets teammate and NFL rookie Cade Klubnik.
With the Jets starting to get to work in preparation for the 2026 season, Smith is getting a firsthand look at Klubnik during practices. So far, the veteran quarterback is impressed with the talent he has seen Klubnik display on the field.
“He can spin the heck out of the ball,” Smith said of Klubnik, via Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. “I feel like he’s the guy who’s always prepared. He’s been preparing as if he’s going to be the starter … I’ve seen that from him. I think he’s got a bright future.”
Smith has returned to where it all started for him in the NFL, with the Las Vegas Raiders trading him in the offseason to the team that welcomed him in the pros over a decade ago.
In a way, he probably sees himself in Klubnik, at least based on the fact that they were both drafted by the Jets.
New York took the West Virginia Mountaineers product Smith in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, while Klubnik was selected by the Jets in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Smith is expected to start for the Jets, but Klubnik has a chance to further impress and make the quarterback competition (for the backup role at least) interesting in the training camp.
