QBs Hackenberg, Petty get the most reps again in Jets practice

The New York Jets’ curious quarterback competition continues.

Sure, Todd Bowles has said he’ll probably have a decision Monday on his starter for Week 1 of the regular season. But it’s unclear who’ll be under center in the team’s third preseason game on Saturday night against the Giants.

Will it be Josh McCown, who ran wind sprints on the side just to keep himself occupied Tuesday during practice? Or, will it be Christian Hackenberg or even Bryce Petty, both of whom have received the bulk of snaps this week?

“We’ve got to sit down and talk about it,” Bowles said after practice Wednesday.

He’s keeping it all close to the vest, and he wouldn’t even hint as to whether McCown could sit for the second straight preseason game. Or, whether Hackenberg could start. Or, whether all three could see time.

“We’ll sit down and talk about it,” Bowles said. “It’s still early.”

McCown has long been considered the front-runner to win the job, and that hasn’t changed through three weeks of training camp practices.

But, it’s a strange optic that McCown hasn’t been given much time on the practice field in recent days — especially when the third preseason game is usually considered a last dress rehearsal for Week 1 starters.

McCown has played just one series, in the preseason opener, and it would be odd if he went into the regular season with only those seven game snaps under his belt this summer.

Bowles also said that people — media and fans, alike — should not read too much into the snap distribution between the quarterbacks the past few days.

“I don’t, so you probably shouldn’t,” Bowles said. “We script it . ... I don’t count the reps. We count the plays. We don’t count which quarterback goes in. We see what we need certain people to do, and we put them in to do that.”

Jets moves

The Jets signed tight end Brandon Barnes and running back Jahad Thomas, and released wide receiver Marquess Wilson and running back Jordan Todman.

Todman, who spent last season with Indianapolis and played at UConn, was signed by New York in June. He had 21 yards rushing on nine carries and a 1-yard catch in two preseason games.

Getting a shot

With Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall nursing injuries, a couple of young wide receivers are getting a chance to show the New York Giants what they can do.

Roger Lewis Jr. and Travis Rudolph came to training camp looking for jobs, and with the season opener against Dallas less than three weeks away the pair remains in the running to make the roster.

Obviously, the more important news was the status of Beckham (ankle) and Marshall (shoulder), who were injured in Monday night’s preseason game in Cleveland.

Coach Ben McAdoo did nothing to update their situations. They are being listed as day to day and the team is waiting to see how they respond to treatment.

Marshall stood on the sideline and watched practice, occasionally talking to his fellow receivers. Beckham was in the team’s headquarters getting treatment.