The New York Jets just made a fascinatingly gutsy call. They announced this week that they will remain with undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook as their starter for the final three games of the season. Despite the impending return of veteran players, including Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields, Coach Aaron Glenn has expressed his commitment to giving Cook a chance to grow in a challenging situation.
Last week, Cook was the only healthy quarterback on the Jets’ roster, unexpectedly helping the team past a major hurdle. So far he’s made one start and one relief appearance, going 36 for 63 for 339 yards. The rookie has only thrown one touchdown pass, but he’s shown off his potential. He equally troubled himself by throwing five picks, including three in the end zone.
Through all of these challenges, Cook still is looking to get better. When pressed on what he needed to improve most, he pointed to ball security as his number one area of focus. To boot, he’s led all players in turnover percentage the last two games. These issues have absolutely shackled this unit’s productivity.
Glenn came to help us understand the lay of the land. He said they would assess both Taylor and Fields day-to-day this week and decide who plays against the New Orleans Saints next Sunday.
Even with the influx of all the experienced returning quarterbacks, Glenn is still sure of Cook’s skills. The coach aims to see how Cook performs in a more balanced offensive environment, stating, “I want to see [Cook] in a situation where our defense and offense and special teams complement each other.” He added, “I feel like I’m going to continue to evaluate [Cook] and see exactly how he’s going to operate on a consistent basis.”
The Jets have even bigger problems as stars go down to injury. It’ll be leading receivers Garrett Wilson and Mason Taylor’s second consecutive week on the sidelines. Wilson has been on injured reserve for the past five weeks because of a knee injury, and Taylor has been ruled out due to a neck injury. Head coach Dan Glenn said he would be meeting Wilson shortly with team medical staff to see where to go from here.
The rest of the team gets ready for their big Sunday matchup with the Saints. If he’s the one, all eyes will be on Cook as he faces the gauntlet that is being an NFL starting quarterback. His performance in the remaining games may well shape whether he has a longer career with the Jets. Perhaps even more importantly, it would signal positive things about the team’s trajectory as they head into the offseason.
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