# Ralph Vacchiano: Vacchiano expects Geno Smith to remain entrenched as the Jets' starting quarterback while rookie Cade Klubnik has a strong chance to win the primary backup job.

**Claimed:** Aug 3, 2026
**Pundit:** Ralph Vacchiano — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/ralph-vacchiano
**Outlet:** Fox Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fox-sports
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/what-make-padless-practices-7-takeaways-from-1st-week-training-camp

2 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.

> Smith is entrenched as the Jets' starter for as long as he can keep them somewhat relevant this season.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Geno Smith to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Geno Smith, New York Jets
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Cade Klubnik to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Cade Klubnik, New York Jets
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Geno Smith — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/geno-smith
- New York Jets — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/jets
- Cade Klubnik — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cade-klubnik

## What others said about the same people

- Judah Fortgang on New York Jets: An unsigned PFF top-down betting breakdown argues the Jets will beat the Titans in Week 1, reasoning that Geno Smith should face little disruption against Tennessee's weak pass rush while Cam Ward will struggle against New York's heavy man coverage. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/980701ec-65d4-4c99-8aa3-c1dc27da170b (scored 100)
- Bryan DeArdo on New York Jets: The unsigned CBS Sports preview picks the Jets to beat the Titans in their Week 1 matchup in Nashville, reasoning that Geno Smith's track record gives New York the edge in a close, low-scoring game. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2ca4f6ea-0531-43a5-b340-39f9b83ef38a (scored 100)
- Chad Millman on New York Jets: Millman backed several week one sides outright: Miami to beat the Raiders straight up, the Jets over the Titans, an underdog money line parlay of Houston and the Giants, and a favorites money line parlay of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit. He also stands by his preseason take that Drake Maye is a top-five NFL quarterback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/de991e27-ec15-4c6e-ad88-b55bdaea8665 (scored 100)
- Gregg Rosenthal on New York Jets: Rosenthal picks Eagles -4.5 over Washington, Bucs +3.5 in Cincinnati, and Steelers -3.5 over Atlanta, and adds extra leans on the Texans, Broncos, Saints and Jets. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e38c847b-41e9-4215-97a3-7ecfd51a9921 (scored 100)
- Tyler Sullivan on New York Jets: An unsigned CBS Sports piece flags five Week 1 underdogs as upset candidates: the 49ers over the Rams in Melbourne, the Texans over the Bills, the Panthers over the Bears, the Jets over the Titans, and the Broncos over the Chiefs on Monday night. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd6c3269-8c90-4044-9c48-0b1fc3537699 (scored 100)
- Conor Orr on New York Jets: Orr's Week 1 straight-up picks, including several upsets (Patriots, Buccaneers, Browns, Dolphins, Commanders, Broncos). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/54ae8d21-7621-4c3d-816c-e879aed9b5c2 (scored 100)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Tyler Sullivan on Drew Lock: In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a14b5e6-066b-457f-b409-a3ddbd512aca (scored 0)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/70a7844a-2fb6-44d7-814f-30ec9fbcc26d (scored 100)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0653fc24-437c-4aba-89ee-f1f417e1983d (scored 100)
- Steven Ruiz on Michael Penix Jr.: In a retrospective tiering of all 32 starting quarterbacks, Ruiz treats Michael Penix Jr. as the Falcons' Week 1 starter over Kirk Cousins, whom he places in his lowest tier. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/968b3764-11ef-41b5-a370-ff570b3219d1 (scored 0)
- Mike Florio on Shedeur Sanders: Florio reports the Browns will start Deshaun Watson in Week 1 but predicts Shedeur Sanders will likely be the starting quarterback by Week 3. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cf6258b2-b55f-4f50-84f9-24269a5a006a (scored 0)
- Nathan Jahnke on Jalen Tolbert: PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a large number of depth-chart, role and fantasy-value calls across the league, including Chig Okonkwo as a top sleeper tight end, Tre Tucker as the Raiders' top receiver, and various backfield hierarchies. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/760054fd-7815-4b86-a9e3-bc9bdb0a730b (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology

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