The Jets quarterback situation remains in flux ahead of their game against Jacksonville.
Both Tyrod Taylor (groin) and Justin Fields (knee soreness) did not practice on Wednesday.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn said Taylor and Fields will be evaluated later this week to see if they could potentially start against the Jaguars. Brady Cook, whom the Jets signed to the active roster off the practice squad last week, received all the first-team reps on Wednesday.
If Taylor and Fields cannot play, that would leave Cook and Adrian Martinez, whom the Jets signed to the practice squad on Wednesday, as the two quarterbacks against the Jaguars.
“There’s a plan for the quarterback,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said. “Either way it works out during the week, we’ve got all our bases covered.
Taylor, who made his fourth start of the season, left Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins in the first quarter after he was hit while throwing an interception that deflected off rookie tight end Mason Taylor and was brought in by Dolphins linebacker Tyrel Dodson. He didn’t return and Glenn hasn’t given much of an update on Taylor’s status in the days following his injury.
Fields hasn’t played since the Jets’ Nov. 13 loss to the Patriots. The following week, Glenn benched Fields for Taylor after the Jets had the worst passing offense in the NFL. Fields was inactive for the game against the Dolphins following knee soreness after last week’s practice.
During Wednesday’s practice media availability, Fields was doing some light running on the side. Glenn has not announced a starter for the game against the Jaguars.
Cook, who is the Jets’ lone healthy quarterback on the active roster, came in for Taylor after he was made the backup against the Dolphins and looked very much like an undrafted rookie free agent quarterback playing in his first game. He completed 14 of 30 passes for 163 yards with two interceptions and he was sacked six times. Jets receivers finished with six drops against the Dolphins, which did not help the offensive rhythm.
In addition to his interceptions, Cook also almost bobbled the ball away on his first snap and recovered his own fumble during the fourth quarter. The Jets signed Cook as an undrafted free agent in May after passing for 9,251 yards, 50 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions during his five seasons at Missouri. He was elevated for two previous games, but didn’t play in an NFL game until last Sunday.
“I think getting back out there in the second half, it definitely started to slow down,” Cook said about Sunday’s game. “The first few series were definitely quick, and I think when you’re not quite trusting it yet, things are moving fast, you might put a little extra heat on it to protect yourself from the people you don’t see, from the ghosts maybe, whatever it is, because things are moving fast.
“But yeah, in the second half, it definitely started to slow down, started to see it better.”
Martinez signed back with the Jets after spending the 2024 season and training camp with the club. He was released in August during final cuts after the Jets kept Cook on the practice squad instead.
The 49ers then signed Martinez to their practice squad, where he spent the previous four months in San Francisco. He played in one game for the 49ers, taking the final knee in their Nov. 2 victory against the Giants. The 49ers waived him on Tuesday.
“Obviously, happy to have him here,” Cook said about Martinez. “He’s awesome. He’s awesome. Great teammate, great quarterback, excited to have him in the room.
In addition to Taylor and Fields, the Jets have several other players injured at the moment. Running back Breece Hall (knee), Taylor (neck), tight end Stone Smartt (concussion), defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (vet rest day), linebackers Quincy Williams (hand) and Kiko Mauioga (neck), and cornerback Azareye’h Thomas (shoulder) all missed Wednesday’s practice due to injury.
Wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who is eligible to come off injured reserve after missing four consecutive games because of a knee injury, has not been activated. With four games remaining in the season and with the Jets officially eliminated from postseason contention at 3-10, it is fair to wonder if Wilson has already played his final snap of the year.
I’ll wait on the docs and make sure we get that done,” Glenn said about Wilson. “He hasn’t been put out there, opened up just yet.”