New York Jets: Signing Kirk Cousins the end of Christian Hackenberg?
If the New York Jets sign Kirk Cousins, it won’t necessarily be the end of the line for Christian Hackenberg in green and white.
Kirk Cousins appeared on the Stick to Football podcast, and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report reported the news that Kirk Cousins has narrowed his decision to the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. What does that mean for the current quarterbacks on the Jets roster?
Joel Stave was likely not going to make it past the first wave of cuts, because he was only added to the roster after an injury to Josh McCown. Bryce Petty is on the last year of his rookie deal, which makes him both expendable and a cheap option to keep. That leaves us with Christian Hackenberg.
Most people assume that if the Jets sign Cousins that Hackenberg will be gone. But is that actually the case? Let’s not forget that Hackenberg is still on his rookie deal. That costs the Jets around $2.7 million through the 2019 season. So, he’s a cheap option as a backup quarterback.
Not only is he a cheap option at quarterback, but he can grow while Cousins helps the team develop a winning formula. It gives the Jets a backup quarterback who’s familiar with Jeremy Bates, and familiar with the Jets. Bates may not make wholesale changes to the offense, with the exception of running the ball more.
The Jets need a backup quarterback. So, why not Hackenberg?
It’s rare for teams to see what the Eagles did in 2017, a backup who’s good enough to lead the team to a Super Bowl title. So, the team could just go with Hackenberg. Plus, he will continue to work with Bates who didn’t relinquish his role as quarterbacks coach.
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We need to stop rushing to conclusions. Let’s slow down and let things play out. They may play out exactly as people think, but let’s not assume things. Hackenberg may just be the best No. 2 option for the Jets at the moment. Given the money, it makes sense to keep him around until the end of his contract.
Who knows? Maybe Cousins gets hurt, and Hackenberg rises to the occasion. Let’s not assume things, though. There’s one guarantee in sports: There are no guarantees.