The New York Jets fell short of the playoffs last year, but they definitely have the tools to make a run again for the upcoming NFL season. The main question for this team is who will be the man at the quarterback position.
Will Ryan Fitzpatrick return? Will Geno Smith be given another shot? Is rookie Christian Hackenberg the choice? Wide receiver Eric Decker has long been lobbying for the Jets to bring back Fitzpatrick this offseason, and he admits he was caught off guard by the team drafting Hackenberg.
“I was a little surprised, to be honest with you,” Decker said at a charity event in Manhattan, where he was honored by the United Way of New York City. “But Mike [Maccagnan, the general manager] and his scouts do their research and homework for a reason and they saw something special with him. I guess they wanted him earlier than later.”
A lot of teammates have come out in support for Fitzpatrick. Decker believes the veteran QB is the right man for the job.
“Just because of the camaraderie I built and the relationship we had last year, and what we can build upon, I think he definitely is the right man for the type of team we have now,” Decker said.
“It’s a team that’s ready to win now, and we need someone with a veteran presence at the quarterback position. My job is to catch the ball, but obviously, I want what’s best for the team — and that relationship I want as well.”
As it stands right now on the depth chart, Geno Smith is No. 1, then last year’s fourth-round pick Bryce Petty and then Hackenberg at No. 3.