HEARTBREAKERS
After injuries derail his chances in 2016, Jets’ Petty looks for better luck this season
BRYCE Petty is keenly aware of the opportunity he missed last season, and it may affect his chances at winning the Jets starting quarterback job for 2017.
With Gang Green out of the postseason picture in December, Todd Bowles awarded Petty starts in the final four games of 2016. But the former fourth-round pick out of Baylor was unable to stay on the field. Petty made only three of his four scheduled starts. He was knocked out of two of those games, including on Christmas Eve at the Patriots, when he suffered a left shoulder injury that ended his season.
This spring, Petty is in a “wide open” quarterback competition with second-year man Christian Hackenberg and journeyman Josh McCown. The Jets held their fourth OTA on Tuesday in Florham Park, and all three quarterbacks continue to have an equal shot at the starting gig.
Still, Petty looks back on the time he spent sidelined last season with injury and wonders if he could have gained ground, putting himself in a better position for this year’s QB battle.
“It’s tough just because I’m not normally a guy that gets hurt. So I put a lot of that on myself,” said Petty, who didn’t work at all with the first team Tuesday, the second of four OTAs open to the media. “As a quarterback, you got to be out there, and I wanted to be out there.
“You get four starts, which was an opportunity for me to show them kind of what they have and what I can do. And it didn’t work out that way…I learned from it, and (I) just got to get better at protections and get the ball out, that way I stay on the field.”
In total, last season, Petty played in six games and completed 56.4% of his passes for 809 yards, three touchdowns and seven interceptions. Against the Dolphins in Week 15, he sustained a crushing blow from defensive linemen Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh early in the fourth quarter and left the game. Petty tore his labrum six days later in Foxborough.
“Just got to stay healthy,” Petty said. “I got to stay out there.”
Petty — who threw a pick-six in seven-on-seven drills Tuesday — says his shoulder is back to 100%. And ultimately, he was able to take positives away from his time on the field last season.
“I have the confidence now that, hey, I can play this game. I think that’s a big thing,” Petty said. “Some guys need experience to build that confidence, and I think that’s kind of what I needed to see that, hey, I can see a rush, I can see a defense, I can make throws, I can throw touchdowns.”
ToddBowles has noticed a similar progression.
“When you put a guy in there the last four games of the year…it’s going to be tough for him,” the Jets coach said. “Obviously the game should slow down for him a little bit having played as far as an anxiety thing.”
Will Petty’s improved confidence translate to a roster spot this upcoming season?
It’s still early, and Petty believes he’s firmly in contention.
“It’s OTAs. How do you have an underdog?” Petty said. “I don’t feel like No. 3. I don’t think Hack feels like he’s No. 3. I don’t feel like Josh feels like he’s No. 3, or any of the above. We’re just trying to get better as a unit.”