-
Rich Cimini
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Due to injuries, the New York Jets are reaching to the bottom of their quarterback depth chart, tapping rookie Brady Cook to start Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.
It will be the first NFL start for Cook, a former practice squad player who made his debut last week in a 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He replaced Tyrod Taylor, who lasted only two series because of a groin injury.
Former starter Justin Fields also is injured (knee soreness), leaving the Jets no choice but to use Cook and Adrian Martinez as their two quarterbacks in Jacksonville. Martinez, on the Jets’ preseason roster, was added to the practice squad Wednesday after a stint with the San Francisco 49ers.
Cook and Martinez have combined for 30 career passes — all by Cook, who was 14-for-30 for 163 yards with two interceptions last week.
Everything about this is unusual.
Cook is the first undrafted rookie quarterback to start for the Jets since 1975, when J.J. Jones spelled Joe Namath for one start. This has been that kind of year for the Jets (3-10), who missed the playoffs for the 15th straight year and suffered their sixth consecutive season with double-digit losses.
“I have all the confidence in the world [in Cook],” coach Aaron Glenn said Friday. “That’s something I’ve stated from the beginning. He’ll be a good player in this league, and he’ll have his opportunity again this week.”
Cook, a three-year starter at Missouri, signed with the Jets after the draft. He impressed the coaches with his competitiveness and decision-making, beating out Martinez for a practice squad spot. In fact, Cook and Martinez handled the quarterbacking duties in the final preseason game.
Unlike last week, Cook was able to get a full slate of first-team practice reps as he prepared. Taylor and Fields were held out of practice all week.
“He’s been studying his butt off for this moment,” Glenn said.
Cook expects to have some butterflies, which is normal for him.
“I think [nerves are] a part of the game,” he said. “I’ve been nervous before any football game I’ve ever played. I’m excited. It’s important. This is everything I’ve ever done. So there’s a level of importance there that’s going to create nerves, but whenever I drag out onto the field and take that first snap, it’s gone. It’s not there. You’re focused because you have no other choice. You really don’t.”
This has been another roller-coaster season for the Jets at quarterback. They handed Fields a two-year, $40 million contract, anointed him the starter in the offseason and benched him after 10 games. In came the injury-prone Taylor, 36, who lasted only nine quarters before sustaining an injury.
Several players were ruled out for Sunday, including rookie tight end Mason Taylor, who leads the team with 44 receptions.
The Jaguars (9-4), who lead the AFC South, are favored by 13.5 points. They haven’t closed as at least 12-point favorites since 2007, when there was a 13.5-point spread against the Raiders, according to ESPN Research.
