TAMPA — Brady Cook dove into a game plan this week for the first time in nine months.
The opponent was a little different.
Cook, the rookie Jets quarterback from Missouri, was preparing to play the Buccaneers, not the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Cook will be active for the first time Sunday, serving as the backup to Tyrod Taylor, who is starting in place of the injured Justin Fields.
“Honestly, I’ve just really enjoyed being able to dive into a game plan again, prepare again,” Cook said. “This week of practice has been a blast. The last time I’ve prepared for a competitive game was the bowl game last year with Missouri vs. Iowa. I’m in it. I feel good.”
This is not the Music City Bowl.
That’s for sure.
The Jets hope that Taylor can make it through this game unscathed and Cook can watch from the sideline.
But Taylor has a well-known injury history, and Cook is now one play away from being the Jets quarterback.
“I feel as ready as I could be,” Cook said. “I feel like I’ve followed every necessary step. I’ve done the extra work in OTAs, the development from then to training camp to preseason. I feel like I’ve put in the work to be as ready as I can.”
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Cook won a training camp battle against Adrian Martinez for the No. 3 quarterback job and was placed on the practice squad.
The team elevated him from the practice squad to the active roster for this game.
Coach Aaron Glenn said they believe in Cook.
“He wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t confident in him,” Glenn said. “I thought he did some really good things in the preseason. Listen, he’s still learning, and it’s one of those things, we have a number of rookies that play on the field for us, and it’s no different than him being a quarterback. Obviously, it’s a more highlighted position, but he’s a rookie, and if it comes to him needing to play, he has to play, and we’re going to do everything we can to put him in the best position to be successful.”
Safety Tony Adams (hip) was ruled out for Sunday’s game.
He had been listed as questionable Friday.
Rookie Malachi Moore is expected to make his first start in place of Adams.
The Jets elevated S Dean Clark from the practice squad.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
