Bowles won’t bury Hackenberg despite demotion

Two months ago, Christian Hackenberg entered training camp with a chance to be the Jets’ starting quarterback. Now he is third on the depth chart.

That became official Sunday when Bryce Petty was the backup against the Raiders after recovering from a sprained MCL in his left knee. With Petty healthy, Hackenberg was inactive.

It is a bad look for the 2016 second-round pick who was given every opportunity to win the starting job in training camp. But coach Todd Bowles downplayed the decision being a negative for Hackenberg.

“He’s the newest of the bunch,” Bowles said. “The other two guys have played in the league with Bryce being the year before him. He was learning a new offense. He made progress. It doesn’t say anything bad about him. He made progress. His chance will come and he’ll have time to fight again.”

Bowles said Hackenberg will split time running the scout team in practice with Petty. He will have to make the most of watching starter Josh McCown in practice.

“During the season, you don’t get a lot of reps,” Bowles said. “You get them in the spring and the summer. During the season, the starters play. You get mental reps, that’s what you get.”

McCown said he has simple advice for Hackenberg.

“Just to keep working,” McCown said. “The reality is Bryce has been in this league a year longer than Hack. For him, I think he’s just got to understand that he has to continue to grow and keep getting better.”

Bowles did not have an update on starting right guard Brian Winters, who suffered an abdomen injury Sunday.

Backup Dakota Dozier replaced Winters and played pretty well.

“Dakota did awesome,” center Wes Johnson said. “I was real happy for him. He actually played a great game. We didn’t really slow down. That speaks to the depth we have in the room and the way we all work together.”

CB Juston Burris had a rough day, giving up two touchdowns to Michael Crabtree and missing the tackle on Cordarrelle Patterson’s long touchdown run.

“He had some plays he’d like to have back, obvious- ly,” Bowles said. “Crabtree caught some touchdowns. He’s got to have better technique at the line, but he’ll get better.”

The Jets get TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins back this week after he served a twogame suspension.

“Hopefully, with our tight ends banged up, it gives us a healthy body,” Bowles said. “He’s been gone for two weeks, so hopefully he has some recall and came back in shape. We’ll see as the week goes forward.”