Just because Chad Pennington announced the name of Christian Hackenberg doesn’t mean the New York Jets have tossed out Bryce Petty.
Please, don’t allow your imaginations to run wild.Just because Chad Pennington announced the name of Christian Hackenberg during the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft as the New York Jets selection doesn’t mean the powers that be are at all done with Bryce Petty.
At least that’s what the organization would like you to think.
“I think we have high hopes for Hack,” Brian Heimerdinger, New York’s Jets Director of Player Personnel, said on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville on Thursday. “He had a tough time in college, but he’s an unbelievable kid. He’s real smart. I’ve really enjoyed him so far since he’s been in the building. We’ll see how he progresses over the next couple of years.”
Heimerdinger went into great detail in trying to explain that the selection doesn’t reflect negatively on Petty.
“Personally our opinion is (that) you don’t draft on what your roster is,” Heimerdinger said. “We like to fill our needs in free agency and draft the best available (player). In regards to Bryce, that’s not really a slight at Bryce any more than drafting a linebacker (Darron Lee) is a slight at David Harris in that regard.”
If the 2014 is any evidence, then Heimerdinger speaks the truth.
First year general manager Mike Maccagnan graciously accepted the gift that was Leonard Williams with the No. 6 overall pick. The USC product, who widely considered the best talent in the draft, slid past the first five picks.
Despite having studs Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson on the roster, Maccagnan took Williams.
Heimerdinger is basically eluding to the same theory here with Hackenberg and Petty.
It sounds nice. That’s for sure. It doesn’t, however, work in the real world when it comes to the QB position specifically.
If the Jets were that giddy about Petty, another possible future quarterback wouldn’t be necessary. This isn’t to say they’ve completely soured on Petty; not by a long stretch.
It stands to reason that if Petty showed unbelievable promise over the course of the first calendar year as a pro, Hackenberg wouldn’t be on the roster. It’s that simple.
What Maccagnan is doing is collecting as many assets at the position as possible while hoping one eventually sticks in the long haul.
Until you have a franchise QB, you’re continually on the lookout for one.
Now, if only terms can be reached with Ryan Fitzpatrick, both of these youngsters can appropriately take their spot in holding the clipboard during OTAs and training camp.
