Bryce Petty on the roster bubble?
By Jon Dove
Things got cloudy for Bryce Petty when the New York Jets selected Christian Hackenberg in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
New York’s Daily Seth Walder recently projected the Jets 53-man roster which featured Petty not making the final cut. This is a bit of a surprise because New York recently used a 4th round pick on the young quarterback.
The Jets knew that Petty was a long-term project when they brought him into the mix. He’s a talented kid whose experience at Baylor made for a tougher transition to the NFL. It’s hard to understand how one season would be enough for the Jets to decide he didn’t have what it takes to succeed in the NFL.
If it was enough someone in the scouting department or general manager Mike Maccagnan needs to explain the waste of a 4th-round pick.
This is just one of the many reasons a lot of people have a hard time backing New York’s pick of Christian Hackenberg. It’s been a head-scratching offseason for New York starting with their decision to low-ball Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The Fitzpatrick decision appears to be that catalyst to everything as it forced the Jets to evaluate their quarterback room a little earlier than expected. If they were able to get Fitzpatrick under contract there would’ve been no reason to draft Hackenberg and thus more time for Petty to develop.
Petty’s rosters spot is also threatened by the presence of Geno Smith who’ll likely open the season as the starter if Fitzpatrick doesn’t sign before training camp. It’s really amazing how poorly the Jets has handle the most important position.
The rest of the roster is ready to make a playoff push which makes low-balling Fitzpatrick even more confusing. Teams rarely mess with their quarterback situation after coming off a 10-win season and looking to improve on the mark.