Buffalo Bills

Jets Should Consider Throwing Hackenberg Into the Fire

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:45 p.m. ET

Fansided, George Stockburger/FanSided via NFL Mocks

New York’s season is over, which could mean Christian Hackenberg finally steps onto the field

On Monday the New York Jets learned Bryce Petty suffered a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder after attempting to tackle a defensive back following an interception.

With Petty officially on injured reserve, the Jets will have no choice but to make second-round pick Christian Hackenberg active for week 17. Ryan Fitzpatrick had entered the game last week after Petty’s injury, only to prove his ineptitude as an NFL quarterback.

Fitzpatrick threw two interceptions while completing just 8/21 pass attempts.

With the quarterback situation in New York growing murkier by the day, Todd Bowles should make his fourth change at quarterback this season. Christian Hackenberg needs to play at some point when the Jets play the Bills at home on New Years Day.

More from NFL Mocks

We saw in the preseason that Hackenberg still needed to fine-tune his mechanics, which became a disaster once Bill O’Brien left Penn State for the Texans. Several months later, the fans and front office need to know what they have in the former Nittany Lion.

New York obviously saw something they liked in Hackenberg by drafting him with the 51st overall pick in April. Arm strength, athleticism, and intangibles are present with Hackenberg. Mechanics and decision-making are questions.

With such a high investment being placed into a quarterback, the Jets can not waste Hackenberg without giving him a real shot as the starter.

Whether you believe he is 100% ready or not, Hackenberg must play, if not start, Sunday against the Bills. Give him the experience, highs, and lows of an NFL game, and enter 2017 with him and a veteran free agent as the quarterbacks of the New York Jets.

If in 2017 Hackenberg proves that his talents can not translate to the NFL, the Jets will have a draft pick high enough to finally find their franchise quarterback in 2018. Until then, build the rest of the team through the 2017 NFL Draft with defense and weapons on offense, while developing a quarterback who was once considered the best in college football.