The New York Jets may not have put on their pads yet for training camp, but we can still look into Gang Green’s crystal ball for a view of Bryce Petty’s future.
Everyone is sick of the stalemate between Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets. But there is one person in particular who should be the most anxious. That person is second year quarterback Bryce Petty. Whether or not the Jets sign back his mentor from last season could squarely determine if he makes the 53 man roster come September.
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I am in the camp that has believed all along that a Fitzpatrick deal will get done before training camp, and I still do believe that. I am also one of the many that were stunned when the team selected Christian Hackenberg in the second round of this years draft. Even if he shocks me and becomes a franchise quarterback, there is no way he is starting this season. Then there is Geno Smith, the erratic gunslinger who has a disappointing 11-18 record as a starter in his short career. Where does this leave Bryce Petty in the depth chart?
It may be baby steps, but #Jets QB Bryce Petty is starting to show signs of improvement: https://t.co/OA2N79WWeE pic.twitter.com/YyL7zuaxQY
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) July 3, 2016
Before week one, there are three options for the Jets to contemplate if/when Fitzpatrick is back :
- Release/trade Bryce Petty
- Release/trade Geno Smith
- Carry four quarterbacks
Jets beat writer Seth Walder of the Daily News believes in option one. “Based on what I’ve seen out of Smith, Petty and Hackenberg, I would think the Jets need to keep Smith as a backup — even though he only has one year left on his contract — because he’s far ahead of the two youngsters. Petty was shaky in the spring.”
Conversely, Rich Cimini of ESPN believes they will keep four quarterbacks. “It’s highly unusual, but Smith, Petty and Hackenberg have value for different reasons. Yes, teams without a franchise quarterback have to do strange things sometimes.” As he says it’s unusual, but the Jets have done it three times in their history. Most recently with Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge and Kevin O’Connell.
Petty was never going to play as a rookie in the regular season. We all knew that. He didn’t play in a pro-style system at Baylor and was going to need more than a year of seasoning before he was trusted under center. So why would the Jets already give up on him? One could argue that he was only a fourth round pick and they believe in Hackenberg more. Petty played decently in preseason (27 for 45 for 260 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions), but he did have some rookie mental mistakes as you can see below.
Patience needs to be practiced here. The Jets need a franchise quarterback. Fitzpatrick and Smith aren’t the long term answer. The Jets need to develop and decide between Petty and Hackenberg in the next two seasons. Todd Bowles and Chan Gailey were brought in to stabilize the franchise. You can’t stabilize it by giving up on players after one year.
My prediction is the Jets do end up keeping all four quarterbacks on the roster to start the season. It’s not ideal, but it is the best strategy for the long term success of the francishe. It’s possible that by mid-season the Jets will have enough confidence in Petty to release/trade Smith and let him serve as the backup to Fitzpatrick.
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The 2017 season is when the tough decisions will have to be made. By then the Jets should know what they have in Petty and make a decision on his future. But for now, there is no way the Jets should go into the season without him holding a clip board on the sidelines.