Author: Peter DiPaola (twitter: @peterssports88)
The New York Jets had a bust offseason parting ways with quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith along with players such as Eric Decker, Brandon Marshall, David Harris, Nick Mangold, ad Darrell Revis.
The Jets are going to be rebuilding this year and they will have to, at some point make the decision on who to start at quarterback, whoever will start will not have the most talented roster, which can be an issue. So who should the Jets start on opening day? Christian Hackenberg, while this might seem odd considering he was red-shirted last season it makes sense because at some point the Jets will have to (and hopefully fairly) evaluate their second year quarterback of whom they spent a 2nd round pick on in 2016.
Hackenberg will not have the best talent on paper around him, which is why the Jets should fairly evaluate him, as he is still an unknown as far as actual meaningful game play goes. So if they start him on opening day they need to focus on how he progresses through reads, his decision making and also how he commands the offense and the huddle.
If he plays well enough this season with the talent on the team it could help the Jets long term, for example if they end up with a top 3 pick and there are quarterbacks that could go there, they would have a chance to trade back and acquire more picks. Teams in recent history (Washington and the Rams) have made some big trades to move up in the draft to acquire quarterbacks. The extra picks and perhaps via trading for players as well. A team with as many needs as the Jets could use the additional picks to rebuild sooner rather than later, and if Hackenberg is the guy they can build around on offense it helps. Of course having a defense helps as well, putting less pressure on a unproven quarterback to have to do things he may not be ready for.
If Christian does not play well they can pull him and play either Josh McCown or Bryce Petty and then decide what to do at that spot once again at the seasons end unless Petty plays well, in which case they could turn to him.
New York can go one of three ways of who the opening quarterback will be on opening day, but if they want to see what Christian is made of, they have to give him a fair opportunity from day one to grow and also evaluate him. With veteran Josh McCown in New York they can have him help Hackenberg and create competition as well as third year quarterback Bryce Petty.
Opening day is about 2 months away, anything can happen between now and then, but the Jets should really give Christian a shot this year.
