The New York Jets lost in a 24-16 fashion to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their 2026 NFL preseason opener at MetLife Stadium on Friday. As is always the case during the exhibition season, the contest had plenty of ups and down as head coach Aaron Glenn begin analyzing his roster to determine who will make the final 53-man roster. On both sides of the ledger, what did the Jets put out on the field against the Bucs? With that, here is Jets Wire's instant analysis from Week 1 of the preseason:
What went right? Here is a quick list of what went right for the Jets against the Buccaneers:
It was fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik getting the start under center for the Jets and he stood out with a strong opening drive. Receiver Omar Cooper Jr. impressed with catches and the dirty work, like forcing a defensive pass interference call. Cooper finished with two catches for 31 yards. Running back Braelon Allen had a 31-yard touchdown for the Jets' only touchdown of the game. Mory Bamba, remember the name. The UDFA rookie free agent cornerback had four passes defended including a breakup in the end zone. Chris Banjo's special teams unit picked up right where it left off, but it still feels like Jason Sanders is the leading candidate to be the Jets' kicker. Will McDonald ended the Bucs' opening drive with a sack.
What went wrong?
QB Geno Smith did not play in this one. After the contest, head coach Aaron Glenn revealed Smith is currently dealing with a sore ankle. Bailey Zappe could have played his way off the roster. He finished with two interceptions thrown, including a pick-six on his first pass of the game. The backup offensive line looks rough, which is the case with many national teams. No takeaways, no interceptions by the Jets defense.
What's the bottom line? We did not learn a whole lot from this game. Cade Klubnik was always a roster lock as a Round 4 pick and he has cemented his status as the backup quarterback. It's just the preseason, but no takeaways, and specifically no interceptions (again) for the defense is worth noting... but let's not overreact yet. What's next? The Jets hit the road to face the Pittsburgh Steer This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Instant analysis: What went right, what went wrong in Jets' loss to the Bucs