HACKENBERG IN SLOW LANE
Jets refusing to rush young signal-caller
Here’s an annoying dose of reality for Jets offensive coordinator John Morton: Time flies when your rebuilding a young quarterback. Nearly seven months after Morton was asked to help piece together Christian Hackenberg, the truth of the matter is that time isn’t on anyone’s side anymore.
The games will count in 27 days.
A first-time play-caller needs results now. A second-year signal caller learning his second system in as many years requires patience. Something’s got to give.
For all the encouraging snapshots during Hackenberg’s education, Morton chucked a four-word dose of reality to everyone holding out hope that his young quarterback will magically morph into the answer to their prayers in the next few weeks:
“Basically,” Morton said before Tuesday’s practice, “He’s a rookie.”
Although Hackenberg disagreed with his coach’s characterization (“I don’t think I’d say that.”), let’s not expect miracles the rest of this preseason. Morton, in fact, couldn’t definitively say how close the 22-yearold quarterback was from starting a regular-season game.
“I think that’s too early to tell,” Morton said. “We’re in training camp mode. We got to play a couple more preseason games. Then we’ll have a better feel to see where we’re at. Because it’s a whole different story once you get in a game and evaluate guys. That’s the real evaluation.”
My understanding all along has been that the powers that be in the organization want to tread lightly with Hackenberg, who was put on ice as a rookie after a rollercoaster college career.
The Jets don’t want to risk undoing all the gains that Morton and new quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates have made this offseason by rushing the signal caller’s development.
The result, of course, is growth at glacier-like speed, a plan designed to methodically infuse Hackenberg with doses of confidence. The thinking: Stack small victories to repair a player, who showed so much promise as a true college freshman.
They evidently don’t feel a sense of urgency.
“We’re still in evaluation mode,” Morton said. “We’re just asking him, ‘Ok, this is the situation. Let’s make sure we do this. So that happened last time, let’s not do that.’… So, there’s no timetable here. That’s what’s training camp’s for. We’ve only had one preseason game. We’ll see what happens the next few weeks.”
The first preseason game was relatively successful even though Hackenberg didn’t lead the team to any points in eight possessions against the Titans. He did, however, complete 72 percent of his passes (18 for 25) without throwing an interception.
“He was decisive on his throws,” Morton said. “I thought he was accurate …. We have plays … We’re taking shots. It it ain’t there, we check the ball down…. He has to go through his progressions. I thought he did a really nice job.”
Hackenberg admitted that he was satisfied with his performance outside of two or three passes. “The operation felt good and looked clean,” he said after practice. “It’s something to build on.”
Morton & Co. have seen promising moments this summer, but time is a legitimate hurdle given all the dynamics at play regardless of what anyone says publicly.
The Jets need to maximize time in camp and preseason for Hackenberg. The teaching never stops, but let’s not sugarcoat it: Hackenberg won’t get anywhere near the on-field work he requires once the regular season begins (assuming Josh McCown is the Week 1 starter). The focus will shift to weekly game-plans for upcoming opponents. Hackenberg will be exposed to classroom work, of course, but there’s no true substitute for getting under center on the practice field. Those moments will dwindle after the preseason.
Hackenberg will absolutely get an opportunity to start this season, but the most valuable part of his education will end in a few weeks.
Fair or not, general manager Mike Maccagnan – and, yes, Woody Johnson – will make a determination whether the franchise should go all-in for a quarterback in the 2018 draft.
So, the next few weeks, including the Jets second preseason game in Detroit on Saturday, is pivotal for Hackenberg, who had a solid practice on Tuesday.
“I like how he’s taking care of the ball,” Morton said. “He gets better every day.”
Hackenberg has to make the best of this time before it runs out.