Jets rookie Brady Cook 'felt ready to play' in ahead-of-schedule NFL debut
Brady Cook couldn't have received any meaningful first-team reps during practices this week, but the opportunity to work closely with starters arrived when the Jetsneeded him the most.
The undrafted rookie quarterback made his NFL debut in the Jets' blowout loss to the Dolphins on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, taking over midway through the first quarter when veteran Tyrod Taylor exited with a groin injury.
"Definitely a challenge, but a great challenge -- one that comes with the job of being the backup quarterback," Cook said of his debut. "I felt ready to play today, but obviously didn't do enough to get a win... Coming in at half, talking it over, just taking a deep breath and coming back out there, definitely did [feel more comfortable]."
Cook was unexpectedly thrown into the fire. At the time of his first pro snap, the Jets were already trailing 21-0, and with Justin Fields inactive due to knee soreness, he suddenly became the only healthy signal-caller on the active roster.
But the Missouri product managed to survive several blows inside the pocket, completing 14 of 30 total passes for 163 yards. He also made some decent throws in spite of poor protection -- he was sacked six times for a loss of 27 yards.
Cook's performance wasn't blemish-free, however. He recovered his own fumble on a botched snap and also threw a pair of red-zone interceptions, late during the second and fourth quarters. The mistakes were rookie-caliber, as he forced two passes to the end zone with touchdown hopes.
It seemed only a matter of time before Cook worked under center, to some degree.
Just a few days ago, when the Jets elevated him from the practice squad for the third time this season, head coach Aaron Glenn expressed confidence in the 24-year-old developing into a viable NFL quarterback.
Glenn wasn't in the mood to hand out any compliments after Sunday's rough loss, but he appreciated Cook's on-field efforts and off-field preparations.
"Mentally, you have to have yourself ready to play. And for the most part, I think he was," Glenn said of Cook. "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."
It's unclear whether the Jets will have Taylor available for their road matchup with the Jaguars next Sunday. If the 36-year-old veteran is ruled out, Cook will likely earn starting duties, as Fields was demoted prior to his own injury.
No matter the circumstances, Cook believes he can fill in again. He felt the nerves from his first taste of NFL action disappear "pretty quickly."
"To have this tape, this experience to watch and to build on and learn from, that's going to be huge for me," Cook said. "I look forward to seeing it on tape and building off of it. However the reps shake out next week, I'm going to be ready to play."