The New York Jets are heading into what might be the worst season of the franchise’s history. One year after winning double-digit games in 2015, the team regressed last year due mostly to horrible quarterback play from Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Jets not only got rid of Fitzpatrick but they also dumped every good player that helped them win in 2015 and are heading into the new season with one of the weakest rosters in the NFL.
Questionable Jets quarterback play
The areas of weakness still start at the quarterback position. While the New York Jets dumped Ryan Fitzpatrick, they also cut ties with their two best wide receivers in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.
The team then chose not to go after a quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft and didn’t sign a proven signal caller to step in to play this year. Instead, the Jets signed journeyman quarterback josh mccown and brought him in to mentor and challenge young quarterbacks, Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty.
When asked about the 2017 New York Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick said to expect them to play “musical quarterbacks” again this year and Brandon Marshall said that the team has no chance. That can’t make fans excited about the upcoming season and it angered players such as running back Matt Forte.
Who will start at quarterback in 2017?
Nothing can deter New York Jets detractors until the team figures out who will start at quarterback, and even that won’t quiet most people because there is little confidence in any of the three players vying for the job.
Josh McCown has played well in his NFL career but has barely won any games and most recently went winless with the Cleveland Browns in his tenure there. Neither Bryce Petty nor Christian Hackenberg has any meaningful NFL game time experience.
With that said, in the first week of NFL training camp, it looks like the battle will just come down to two of those quarterbacks.
According to ESPN, Josh McCown and Christian Hackenberg are the frontrunners to battle for the New York Jets’ starting job this preseason. After four days of practice in training camp, Bryce Petty received the least snaps of any of the three quarterbacks. It also is notable to hear head coach Todd Bowles say that things will stay this way until “they start to impress me.”
Todd Bowles is in a tough spot this season with the New York Jets front office stripping his team of any and all stars.
What this means is that, as the head coach, Bowles will put the best players out on the field that can pick up wins to try to save his job. At the moment, it seems that Josh McCown is that man although one of the other signal callers could be the best bet for the future of the franchise.