New York Jets undrafted free agent rookie quarterback Brady Cook was never supposed to see the field in his first year in the NFL.
The Missouri product improved throughout the offseason but was clearly miles away from ever potentially seeing playing time on Sundays.
Fate, as it has many times before, forced New York’s hands, though.
After Justin Fields was ruled out before kickoff on Sunday with a knee injury, and starting signal-caller Tyrod Taylor left with a groin injury, Cook was thrust into the starting lineup in front of the MetLife Stadium crowd.
And while Cook threw two interceptions in the Jets’ 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the result for the 24-year-old was a mixed bag from his coach all the way down to his teammates. It’s how Cook produced his final stat line that matters—in this context at least.
Judging Cook’s debut
The final stat line for the rookie says that Cook struggled in his first chance at NFL action.
He completed 14-30 passes for 163 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions in the end zone, and was sacked six times. New York mustering only three offensive points doesn’t help Cook’s case either.
After the game, the quarterback was honest about his overall assessment.
“It was definitely a challenge, but a great challenge,” Cook said. “One that comes with the job of being the backup quarterback. I felt ready to play today, and obviously I didn’t do enough to get a win.”
It’s essential to note that Cook has received limited snaps with the starting offense and overall reps throughout the season. Stashed away on the practice squad, players do not get the kind of reps in practice necessary to be ready to play.
Based on that reality, it should be alarming to the Jets that an undrafted free agent with limited practice reps was able to facilitate a functioning passing offense when their intended starter had not for weeks prior.
At the end of the day, though, Cook still has plenty of things to work on.
In the middle of a lost season, the final four games of the regular season could be a perfect chance for the Jets to allow the Missouri product to improve on the fly.
Jets QB room
There were plenty of throws that Cook made during Sunday’s loss that should excite his coaching staff. Despite that, there were other questionable throws made by the rookie that showed his lack of experience.
That’s why Jets head coach Aaron Glenn was clear on his expectations for the quarterback moving forward.
“Mentally, you have to have yourself ready to play,” Glenn said. “For the most part, I think he (Cook) was. I thought Miami did a really good job of pressuring. They
brought the house a couple of times on him. But we’ve got to do a better job.”
With Taylor and Fields both injured, Cook is currently the only healthy quarterback on the roster.
It’s a safe bet to assume that New York will sign another signal-caller within the coming days for added production if one or both of the vets can’t go next week against Jacksonville.
Cook’s standing with the Jets, though, appears safe. The Jets did not sign a veteran when Fields first got hurt during the week of practice, having trust in the rookie’s development.
That trust should grow slightly after Sunday’s loss. Cook wasn’t perfect, but he showed plenty of highlights to warrant a closer look, if possible.
