Could This Former SEC Star Quarterback Be the X-Factor the New York Jets Have Been Missing?
If you asked me last week whether the New York Jets had their quarterback situation figured out, I’d have raised an eyebrow—and for good reason. With Jordan Travis suddenly hanging up his cleats, the Jets’ QB room looked more like a ghost town than a training camp. But here’s the twist: the gang over at 1 Jets Drive might have stumbled onto something intriguing—a former SEC star named Brady Cook, who’s stepping into the chaos wearing No. 4 (because, yeah, No. 12 is sacred territory). Now, Cook’s college resume at Missouri isn’t just a footnote—top five in yards, touchdowns, and total offense at Mizzou. And hey, when your new offensive tackle, Armand Membou, is your old college teammate singing your praises louder than a hype-man at a rap battle, maybe that backup spot competition just got a little more interesting. Oh, and did I mention the Williams family reunion happening on defense? With Giovanni Williams joining his star brothers Quincy and Quinnen, chemistry could be the Jets’ new secret weapon. All signs point to a quieter offseason, but with new leadership in the front office and Justin Fields ready to command Week 1, this team’s entering 2025 with a “let’s see what happens” kind of vibe. So… can a former Missouri Tiger truly tame the Jets’ QB rollercoaster, or is this just the calm before another storm? Buckle up, this minicamp might just surprise us all. LEARN MORE
The New York Jets found themselves with a sudden empty seat in their quarterbacks room last week as former Florida State QB Jordan Travis announced his retirement. But with plenty of rookie quarterbacks still out there, the Jets may have found a replacement in a former SEC star.
On Friday, the Jets announced that they have signed 14 new players to their roster ahead of their upcoming minicamp. One of those signings was former Missouri starting QB Brady Cook. He will wear the No. 4 jersey in minicamp (since the No. 12 has long-since been retired).
Cook played five seasons at Missouri, starting three and finishing his college career with a 26-13 record, a 65.9-percent completion rate, 9,251 yards and 50 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. He ranks in the top five for yards, touchdowns and total offense in school history.
The former Missouri quarterback will have a familiar face blocking for him as the Jets’ first-round pick in this year’s draft was offensive tackle Armand Membou. The former Tigers superstar spoke glowingly of Cook as his media appearance this morning.
OT @armandmembou on former @MizzouFootball teammate QB Brady Cook joining him at 1JD as an undrafted free agent: pic.twitter.com/GBBbyCbokI
— New York Jets (@nyjets) May 9, 2025
Cook won’t be the only player with strong ties to the rest of the roster though. One player to receive a minicamp invite was Giovanni Williams, a linebacker out of Division II Miles College. Williams is the younger brother of two of the team’s top players: All-Pro linebacker Quincy Williams and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
Suffice it to say, chemistry should be pretty darn high for the Jets as they start minicamp.
The Jets are hoping that 2025 marks the start of a new era in their moribund history. The cleaned house at the end of last season, firing head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas in the middle of the season. Replacing them are former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator and team legend Aaron Glenn as head coach, and former Denver Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey.
Unlike some previous years, the Jets have had a much quieter offseason. Their only major move was signing free agent quarterback Justin Fields. It is expected that Fields will start in Week 1.
Cook will have a golden opportunity to compete for the backup job against longtime veteran Tyrod Taylor.
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