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New York Jets quarterback Adrian Martinez reacting in the middle of an NFL preseason game against the New York Giants.
He is officially back.
The New York Jets announced on Saturday, December 13, that they have elevated quarterback Adrian Martinez from the practice squad. He will revert to the practice squad on Monday, December 15.
Head coach Aaron Glenn announced on Friday that Martinez would serve as the QB2 behind rookie Brady Cook, who is making his first start versus the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15.
QB Situation Moving Forward Remains a Mystery
We knew that Martinez would be the backup quarterback on Sunday, but we didn’t know how we’d get from point A to point B.
Martinez joined the Jets’ practice squad this week after being released by the San Francisco 49ers.
Was he just going to be temporarily elevated for a game? Or would he be outright signed to the 53-man roster?
Right now, the Jets are carrying three quarterbacks on the active roster: Tyrod Taylor, Justin Fields, and the aforementioned Cook.
Taylor (groin) and Fields (knee) were ruled out for this Week 15 matchup with injuries. However, the injuries weren’t bad enough for either to be placed on injured reserve. That would have ended either of their seasons with only four regular-season games remaining.
For now, Martinez will be the backup, but then he will return to the P-Squad as we await injury updates later in the week on Taylor and Fields’ status.
Some Fans Preferred Martinez Over Cook
Martinez and Cook were together on the Jets’ roster during training camp. The two passers battled it out for the QB3 role.
Cook edged out Martinez in the competition, but neither made the initial 53-man roster. Cook, after clearing waivers, rejoined the team on the practice squad. Martinez sought out greener pastures, getting a fresh start with the 49ers on their practice squad.
Some fans preferred Martinez over Cook on social media.
Cook was a capable runner in college. Across his five years at Missouri, he collected 1,262 rushing yards on 371 carries. Cook scored 21 rushing touchdowns at the collegiate level.
Martinez put up some video game numbers on the ground. Across his five years at Nebraska and Kansas State, Martinez racked up 2,928 rushing yards on 619 carries. He scored 45 touchdowns on the ground in college.
The Most Popular Guy on Any Football Team…
Cook will get his moment in the sun on Sunday. The most popular player on any football team is the backup quarterback. It’s a mystery. Cook could be a superstar, a starter, or he could stink, but you never know until he goes out there and shows it.
Now Cook is a starter. So the popularity contest shifts to Martinez. The 25-year-old has only ever appeared in one regular-season game, and it happened earlier this season for the 49ers, per Pro Football Reference. Martinez threw one pass for -1 passing yards.
He is another mystery. Martinez could be something, or he could be nothing. Jets fans have a morbid curiosity about his potential talents at this level. However, the only way we will see it this week is if Cook gets hurt or he performs so poorly that the coaching staff makes a change.
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.
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