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How the Jets stunted Christian Hackenberg's growth in a lost season


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How the Jets stunted Christian Hackenberg’s growth in a lost season for Gang Green 

The Jets need to take the bubble wrap off and see what kind of player Christian Hackenberg can be.

The Jets need to take the bubble wrap off and see what kind of player Christian Hackenberg can be.

  (ED MULHOLLAND/GETTY IMAGES)

The Curious Case of Christian Hackenberg has prompted six words to dance in our heads:

Seriously, how bad can he be?

The tidal wave of criticism from different parts of the organization in recent weeks makes you wonder whether Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan whiffed with his second-round pick nearly nine months ago.

A team source told me that the former Penn State quarterback "will never make it." A Jets coach told ESPN that the rookie couldn't hit the ocean with his passes.

JETS KEEP 'EM, DUMP 'EM: Time to VOTE on who stays and who goes

There are two clear factions on One Jets Drive that have emerged. Neither one is particularly promising for a player taken with the 51st overall pick.

One camp believes that Hackenberg is a lost cause, which seems ridiculously harsh given that he's been a professional for less than a calendar year. The second group believes that it will take years before Hackenberg can be considered a legitimate candidate to be an NFL starter.

Full disclosure: I have no idea whether or not Hackenberg will be successful. I haven't seen him take a snap since his underwhelming performance in the preseason finale in Philly on September 1.

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If Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles knew that Chan Gailey would retire after 2016 and still drafted Christian Hackenberg, then it’s fair to question their decision-making.

  (HOWARD SIMMONS/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)

Although eyewitnesses have made it clear to me that Hackenberg is the quintessential project, he hasn't exactly been in an ideal environment in his first several months in the league.

Jets’ Chan Gailey says ‘sky’s the limit’ for Christian Hackenberg

Consider this: Two lame-duck coaches were in charge of developing him.

Chan Gailey's retirement announcement included a statement from the former offensive coordinator that he had informed Todd Bowles before the season that 2016 would be his last.

So, Gailey, Bowles and presumably Maccagnan all knew that Hackenberg (and Bryce Petty, for that matter) would have to learn an entirely new system from new coaches in 2017.

Quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo was Gailey's hand-picked guy, so it stands to reason that team decision makers knew that he was a goner too after this season barring a supersonic leap by one of the young signal callers.

Jets' Hackenberg won't 'sit and cry' about lack of playing time

It's unclear exactly when Gailey told Bowles that he would be coaching only one more season, but I hope it wasn't before the 2016 draft. If so, it would make Maccagnan's choice to draft Hackenberg that much more curious.

The Jets reached to pick Christian Hackenberg in the second round of the 2016 draft.

The Jets reached to pick Christian Hackenberg in the second round of the 2016 draft.

  (NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)

Hackenberg deserves a fair chance to learn from coaches who will be around for longer than one year.

Think about it: Gailey maintained for months that it would take "thousands" of reps this offseason to fix Hackenberg's mechanical flaws knowing full well that he wasn't going to stick around to teach the kid any of it.

Give me a break.

Did Jets make mistake drafting a 2nd-rounder who can't help now?

Every coach needs to be fully invested in the present and future of their players, especially developmental ones at the most important position in the sport.

Maybe Hackenberg will live in the NFL margins. Maybe he'll evolve into a contributor. It's way too soon to bury the 21-year-old quarterback despite his apparent struggles in the first chapter of his career.

He needs to improve his mechanics and eye discipline. He needs to stop getting stressed in practice. He needs to exhale.

Christian Hackenberg is one of the toughest Jets to evaluate given his limited snaps. The Jets could’ve done him, and themselves, a favor by starting him in Week 17.

Christian Hackenberg is one of the toughest Jets to evaluate given his limited snaps. The Jets could’ve done him, and themselves, a favor by starting him in Week 17.

  (RICH BARNES/GETTY IMAGES)

"I think you can take a year like this two ways," Hackenberg told the Daily Newsin October. "You can put your head down and say, 'Oh I'm not playing,' and kind of bury your head in the sand. Or you can say, 'Alright, this could be a good thing if you go out and maximize the opportunities and the resources around you.' So I'm trying to choose that path as much as I can."

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Hackenberg has the requisite physical tools and smarts to play at this level. His football acumen is one of the reasons why the Jets brain trust was sold on him in the first place.

The organization, however, erred by not starting Hackenberg in the season finale. There was no real downside. In fact, it would have been greatly beneficial for the rookie to get a full week to practice and prepare as the starter.

Even if he stunk it up on gameday, there would have been some positive moments to embolden him. You can take something good out of even poor performances.

"If you look at it, there's so many different journeys," Hackenberg told The News in October. "Even the older guys in the league right now. People have gotten to the same spot being a starter for a team in so many different ways. There's no blueprint to coming in and being the starter and lighting it up. You don't have to do that. You can sit. You cannot play so well, get traded and then light it up. There's so many different examples of people who are successful and they've done it in so many different ways."

Remove the bubble wrap this spring.

The redshirt year is over.

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9 minutes ago, Jack Straw said:

Manish definitely steals material from JN. I'm sure he's got a username but haven't been able to identify which trolling douchebag he is yet. But I'll find him.

Pretty sure Ira from Staten Island goes on these boards to

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12 minutes ago, shuler82 said:

lolz at 'no real downside' to playing Hack in the season finale. Imagine what Manish would be writing after a 11-30 2int performance? Hack would be completely buried           

You think Hack would only throw 2 picks?

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He sort talked himself into a contradictory corner. On one hand suggesting he shoukd have gotten more reps and play. But why? If the Jets knew all along next year he'd be learning a whole new system.

This actually explains a lot as to why there was never really a chance they'd play him this year. Better off he just run the scout team and learn opposing defenses before completely immersing himself in our own system. 

But, the mechanics. If they knew he wouldn't play this year. They should have had hired someone other than Patullo to work on his mechanics all year. Wasted time right there. Unless, they just wanted to wait until new staff comes in and trains him their own way?

Idk, either way the kid is 21 with a big arm and high football iq. If this team cant find coaches to get him to be able to be a decent starter then they're more useless than some of us already think. Most QB's dont succeed in this league cause they can't ever grasp the mental aspect. If thats his strong suit + no noodle arm. Theres no excuse. Get the right coaches.

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1 hour ago, shuler82 said:

lolz at 'no real downside' to playing Hack in the season finale. Imagine what Manish would be writing after a 11-30 2int performance? Hack would be completely buried           

He is getting buried now for the team being too afraid to play him how is he going to get further buried, he had those kind of performance sin the ex season and no matter what his 1st playing experience will be rocky.

You could sit him on the bench for 5 years and his 1st real game play will probably be rocky.  Your comment totally fits in with the 'we are afraid to play him' narrative' and sooner or later that is actually worse on a guys confidence than letting him take a few beta downs in games.  that last game was a perfect chance to maybe not start him but to give him a quarter or a few series.  Stupid Bowles.

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1 minute ago, Adoni Beast said:

He sort talked himself into a contradictory corner. On one hand suggesting he shoukd have gotten more reps and play. But why? If the Jets knew all along next year he'd be learning a whole new system.

This actually explains a lot as to why there was never really a chance they'd play him this year. Better off he just run the scout team and learn opposing defenses before completely immersing himself in our own system. 

But, the mechanics. If they knew he wouldn't play this year. They should have had hired someone other than Patullo to work on his mechanics all year. Wasted time right there. Unless, they just wanted to wait until new staff comes in and trains him their own way?

Idk, either way the kid is 21 with a big arm and high football iq. If this team cant find coaches to get him to be able to be a decent starter then they're more useless than some of us already think. Most QB's dont succeed in this league cause they can't ever grasp the mental aspect. If thats his strong suit + no noodle arm. Theres no excuse. Get the right coaches.

My biggest problem is that he wasted a year learning a system that Gailey wasn't even going to be around to implement next year.

IMO, fixing his mechanics should have been the priority. What good is him learning the system if he can't even throw the damn ball?

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1 minute ago, Beerfish said:

 Your comment totally fits in with the 'we are afraid to play him' narrative' and sooner or later that is actually worse on a guys confidence than letting him take a few beta downs in games.  that last game was a perfect chance to maybe no start him but to giv ehim a quarter or a few series.  Stupid Bowles.

Not at all. My comment was in response to Mannish claiming that there was no downside to playing him.... as if a bad performance wouldn't have the Jets tabloid writers salivating all off season tearing into the guy based on one bad game.  That being said, I would've rather seen him play than Fitz in week 17 - but Manish can't claim 'no downside'

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21 minutes ago, shuler82 said:

lolz at 'no real downside' to playing Hack in the season finale. Imagine what Manish would be writing after a 11-30 2int performance? Hack would be completely buried           

He meant that there was no downside to him, as a writer.

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1. I don't believe for a second that Gailey told everyone he was retiring for sure at the end of the year.  No way. 

2. Thousands of reps?  Big ******* deal.  He should be throwing at least 1,000 balls a week.  Probably solved by April!

3. Since when does changing the offensive coordinator=learning a whole new system?  They could have run almost an identical system by promoting Patullo.  They still may hire a guy that runs a similar system.  I'm sure that even teams that retain coordinators install plenty of new stuff every year. 

 

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5 minutes ago, shuler82 said:

Not at all. My comment was in response to Mannish claiming that there was no downside to playing him.... as if a bad performance wouldn't have the Jets tabloid writers salivating all off season tearing into the guy based on one bad game.  That being said, I would've rather seen him play than Fitz in week 17 - but Manish can't claim 'no downside'

Fair enough.

The upside was much higher than the downside.

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Just now, #27TheDominator said:

1. I don't believe for a second that Gailey was retiring at the end of the year.  No way. 

2. Thousands of reps?  Big ******* deal.  He should be throwing at least 1,000 balls a week.  Probably solved by April!

3. Since when does changing the offensive coordinator=learning a whole new system?  They could have run almost an identical system by promoting Patullo.  They still may hire a guy that runs a similar system.  I'm sure that even teams that retain coordinators install plenty of new stuff every year. 

 

Well also, if the guy is as smart as people say learning a system should be no problem at all.  It seems to me that the biggest issues BY far for this guy is his accuracy and confidence.  I am totally not optimistic that he can be salvaged (perhaps our worst of all of our awful 2nd round picks) but he was handicapped by terrible coaching decisions this past year.

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2 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

Well also, if the guy is as smart as people say learning a system should be no problem at all.  It seems to me that the biggest issues BY far for this guy is his accuracy and confidence.  I am totally not optimistic that he can be salvaged (perhaps our worst of all of our awful 2nd round picks) but he was handicapped by terrible coaching decisions this past year.

Hack's issue is he totally sucks and shouldn't even be in the nfl

 

Fire Mac

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26 minutes ago, August said:

That's why having 4 quarterbacks last year was stupid. Hackenberg got little to no reps, so that hurt his development.

I have stated this many times. When Futz held out after zoTA's there is no way in the world he should have been signed. That signing hurt this team as his play was horrific. 

I hope Macc finally understands that the roster needs balance and to stop listening to the mass mob of fans who don't understand Pro Football

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1)  I think as Jet fans we can be tough but fair.  But I really think we are going to find out the Gailey/Patullo story we were just told was a load a baloney.   More importantly, drafting a project second round QB and not having a plan to coach him up was criminal.  He basically needed his own coach because the staff was working with the 1,2 and 3 as scout.  Who knows what was done here.

2)  Look at Trubiskey.  He is being discussed as top 5 pick.  Sanchez was a top 5 pick.  Each had one good year.  So did Hack.  Had he not stunk up the house in a different season his last 2 years, he could have been a high 1st round pick after his freshman year, had he been allowed to declare (which, i know he was not).

3) I hope he is practicing now with someone, not hunting in VA.

4)  But this is another mess the Jets got themselves in.  My guess is that they delusionally thought that, at least in 2017, they would be drafting out of QB range in the draft and could take a flyer on a project.  But now they are they are 6.  They will likely see QBs dangle before them.  Do they pass one up?  Look where Lynch got picked given the overall level of competition and his warts and lack of play under center.  These 3 QBs are going high.  If the Jets pass on one, they will not last long after them.  Now whether that is a smart decision, I don't know, but the pressure is on, and I don't envy them.

5)  In a year from now Macc and Bowles could be sitting prettier if they draft someone in Rd 1 this year who actually really contributes and some combination of Hack/Petty and Vet can play as well as Siemian or Osweiler/Savage last year.  That is not a high bar.  Hopefully they are doing everything they can to make that happen.  The Jets will be an advantage-new QB, new Coach-teams will be confused.  That could win them a few games.

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He had a QB coach who had never been a QB coach and then told everyone that they wouldn't work on his mechanics for a year.  They somehow made the situation worse by refusing to play him which got more people talking about the situation than had he just played a meaningless game or half.

It might be the worst "coaching" of any 1st year QB I've ever seen and it was brought to you by Todd Bowles.  Still amazed we have to deal with another year of him.

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1 minute ago, Pac said:

He had a QB coach who had never been a QB coach and then told everyone that they wouldn't work on his mechanics for a year.  They somehow made the situation worse by refusing to play him which got more people talking about the situation than had he just played a meaningless game or half.

It might be the worst "coaching" of any 1st year QB I've ever seen and it was brought to you by Todd Bowles.  Still amazed we have to deal with another year of him.

W/hen we get a new OC and QB coach, he will be good. Or if not, it will mean that OC and QB coach are also bad. Maybe also weapons, not sure yet, we'll figure it out as we go

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7 minutes ago, Jetdawgg said:

I have stated this many times. When Futz held out after zoTA's there is no way in the world he should have been signed. That signing hurt this team as his play was horrific. 

I hope Macc finally understands that the roster needs balance and to stop listening to the mass mob of fans who don't understand Pro Football

Anyone that thinks the jets front office did anything because of the fans needs to give his head a shake.

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9 minutes ago, Pac said:

He had a QB coach who had never been a QB coach and then told everyone that they wouldn't work on his mechanics for a year.  They somehow made the situation worse by refusing to play him which got more people talking about the situation than had he just played a meaningless game or half.

It might be the worst "coaching" of any 1st year QB I've ever seen and it was brought to you by Todd Bowles.  Still amazed we have to deal with another year of him.

This feels like it falls much more on Mac than it does Bowles.  If, as it was reported and stated by Gaily, that Hack really didn't work on mechanics this year - as they didn't have time...After being taken in the 2nd round as a "Project" - In my opinion this is a fireable offense for Mac.

If you're not going to work on the mechanics or give him any reps how is the Project ever going to develop?

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12 minutes ago, dbatesman said:

W/hen we get a new OC and QB coach, he will be good. Or if not, it will mean that OC and QB coach are also bad. Maybe also weapons, not sure yet, we'll figure it out as we go

The important thing is that he doesn't play until 100% of that is settled, because that's how football players get better at playing football.

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