Can Christian Hackenberg Win the New York Jets’ Starting QB Job in 2016?

Had the 2016 NFL draft taken place at Radio City Music Hall instead, we might have seen the loudest collective groan and boo from New York Jets fans in a long time. After a less-than-stellar 2014 and 2015 college season coupled with the Jets’ persistent uncertainty at quarterback, Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg didn’t seem like a wise investment during draft weekend.

For all of his obvious on-film warts as a prospect, Hackenberg still possesses tremendous promise to grow into one of the 2016 NFL draft’s best quarterback prospects. Should Ryan Fitzpatrick not re-sign in New York, Hackenberg’s pro-readiness mentally should allow him to immediately compete for the starting job. And even if Fitzpatrick does return, Hackenberg should have every opportunity to win the starting job throughout the 2016 season.

Emerging in the Jets’ Quarterback Situation

Even after a near-playoff berth in his first year as the starter, Fitzpatrick remains unsigned this offseason as the team and Fitzpatrick’s agent jostle over a reasonable contract. The team is wise to not rush to re-sign Fitzpatrick on a major deal, as his struggles in Buffalo after a strong season led to an embarrassment for the Bills regime when they signed him to a huge contract. And it’s certainly reasonable for Fitzpatrick to want above the market value for a veteran starter, and a contract similar to Brock Osweiler’s should be a baseline for how well he played in 2016.

Should Fitzpatrick return, Hackenberg won’t have the opportunity to start in Week 1, as Fitzpatrick’s contract and prior year’s success should mandate him the starter. But similarly to his last run-in as a starter in Buffalo, consistency as a starter for more than one season hasn’t been the norm in Fitzpatrick’s career, and regardless of the team’s current construction and belief that Fitzpatrick can put together another 10-6 season, pessimism can and should remain going into the 2016 season if and when Fitzpatrick returns.

Geno Smith, on the other hand, is in the final year of his rookie deal and has shown little hope of reviving his rookie-year potential as a worthwhile quarterback to develop as a starter. While he possesses more in-game experience than Hackenberg at the pro level and is a strong fit for Chan Gailey’s offense, his ineffectiveness on and off the field has made him expendable now that Hackenberg is in the mix and Fitzpatrick is likely to re-sign.

Hackenberg, the team’s most recent highly drafted quarterback and who offers some pro-ready …

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