The Jets quarterback room is a bit crowded, and it’s likely one of the names falls by the wayside before the start of the season.
But instead of being a cutthroat competitor, 2015 fourth-round pick Bryce Petty is willing to help 2016 second-rounder Christian Hackenburg, even though it means he could be the odd man out if/when Ryan Fitzpatrick rejoins the team.
"You go out and compete, but it’s not like you want to rip the guy’s throat out. At the end of the day, he’s your teammate,” Petty told the New York Daily News regarding Hackenberg. “If there are questions that he has, I’m going to answer them. I’m not going to be a d--- about it. Fitz wasn’t a d--- to me about it. That’s not my style.”
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It’s tough to imagine the Jets carrying four quarterbacks. It’s also tough to imagine the Jets vaulting Petty over Hackenburg or Geno Smith. Petty must know those things.
However, getting upset won’t help. Petty realizes his best chance at being on an NFL roster, in New York or elsewhere, is to simply work hard and carry himself well.
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"That’s the thing: Who do you get pissed at?” Petty said when asked if his feelings were bruised. “If you take it that way, I feel that it can (hurt) your own personal growth. ... It’s one of those deals like, ‘OK, they did draft a guy. Now it’s my chance to prove that they took the right guy the year before. ... They made a good choice when they drafted me."