Cade Klubnik shines in Jets’ First Preseason Game

By Daniel Feuerstein | East Rutherford, NJ | August 14th, 2026

The New York Jets opened their preseason schedule with a home game at MetLife Stadium against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We saw the first team get their moments with two series, and the rest of the game was all the backups, third- and fourth-stringers who are trying to get a job for the season. Hoping to make the team either with the 53-man squad or by joining the practice squad. After earning their first 60-minute game, the Jets finished the evening with a 24-16 loss to the Buccaneers

Cade Klubnik gets the call and looks good

Geno Smith didn’t suit up in the game with a foot issue, as the Jets were being cautious with him. That meant Cade Klubnik would get the opening quarter, and right away he never looked fazed at all. We saw competent Quarterback play as Klubnik played well, handing the ball off to both Breece Hall and Braelon Allen in his two series for the Jets, and both were scoring drives. Went five for seven with56 yards, threw a dart at Garrett Wilson, who made two catches for 32 yards, and his longest was 21 as Klubnik threw a hard rising spiral that forced Wilson to jump in the air and haul it in.

“Geno has a sore ankle. It actually happened to him in the last joint practice with Tampa. Nothing to be alarmed about; it’d be day to day. Thursday, I told him that he wasn’t gonna play precautionary, all right? And I went right to Cade and told him that he would be the starter, which he was chomping at the bit to be able to do, getting a chance to go with the one. So I thought he did a hell of a job, not getting a lot of reps with the ones. So I give him a lot of credit for going out there and operating the way that he did. We watched him in college; he was the same way. Nothing changes. He has some moxie to him. He’s very confident; he’s confident in his ability to elude and make plays with his feet and his ability to be able to come out and operate with the first group the way that he did,” said Aaron Glenn

Braelon Allen is back and looks solid

After taking a hard tackle during a kickoff return at the Miami Dolphins and missing the rest of the season due to injury, Braelon Allen showed why he was missed when he got the handoffs from Klubnik. He had four rushes for 44 yards, and one of those rushes was a 31-yard run into the end zone for the touchdown that made it a 10-0 lead. With the Jets’ offensive line looking strong and creating holes, he and Breece Hall should have a fun season with multiple rushing yard games this new season. The human bowling ball is looking good, and many are happy he’s back.

“We all see it was his ability to actually press the hole. All right, put his foot in the ground and get vertical and then run away from people. So the speed that he’s always had now that’s really showed up, you know, and it’s really good to see it. I’m happy for him. I’m proud of him. Listen, we’re all been looking for that with that player,” said Aaron Glenn

Mory Bamba shining in his first preseason game

Undrafted Corner from BYU, Mory Bamba came to camp looking to impress and trying to earn a job. So far, he has shown very well, as he has the eyes of the fans, the media, and the coaching staff. He’s made four tackles, with three of them solo, but what many have been oooing and ahhhing over was his pass deflections along the sidelines. He knocked away four passes from the hands of the Wide Receivers, and many are thinking he can steal a job or make the practice squad.

“He made a few plays today. I said that early. I think some of the young DBs actually showed up, and he’s the one that really stands out. And it’s not just what he did on defense. I mean, he did some good plays on special teams too. There were a couple of mistakes that he had to, you know, and I got to make sure I say that. But for the most part, I thought he showed out tonight,” said Aaron Glenn

A weird field goal scored before halftime

With the game tied at 10, the Jets had the last possession of the first half and found themselves in field goal range with Bailey Zappe as the quarterback. He attempted to lead the Jets down the field to get a touchdown. When the defense stopped the Jets, the field goal unit came on to attempt a lead before heading into the locker room. As Cade York took the field goal, he struck the ball well, but it was curling wide left, and many thought the ball missed the upright. Until the camera went for the tight angle and the officials signaled the kick was good.

While the ball was high in the air and was turning away, the official saw the ball hover over the top of the left upright and cleared it. That’s why he put both arms up to signal it was good, or felt it was preseason and just gave the Jets the three points. With no replay or camera on the crossbar to pan up and see if the kick was truly good, we just have to take the officials’ word for it.

First preseason game in the books, and now the Jets travel to the Keystone State and face the Pittsburgh Steelers in their second game.

The New York Jets opened their preseason schedule hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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