New York Jets

Bryce Petty needs to improve in two key areas with the Jets

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:31 p.m. ET

Fansided, Samuel Sutton/FanSided via The Jet Press

2016 gave experience to one-year quarterback Bryce Petty, but if he wants to keep his starting job with the New York Jets, he needs to improve in two key areas.

For quarterback Bryce Petty, 2016 was nothing but an experience year. It was a way of getting his foot in the door. He showed potential, but if he wants to keep his starting job in 2017, he will need to improve in two key areas: accuracy, and awareness.

Petty showed he wasn’t afraid to throw the ball this season. If he saw someone deep, he would fire it without hesitation. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always accurate. He did this with rookie receiver Robby Anderson a few times against the Indianapolis Colts and ended up overthrowing him a couple times.

The guy had a low completion percentage of 56.4. This number obviously shows his poor accuracy, but it also shows his lack of awareness. Well, this number, and the three touchdowns with seven interceptions.

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There were a couple times in games when he would look at a receiver on an out route without any notice of a linebacker sitting in the zone, make the throw, and end up with a deflection or interception. This is definitely a sign of poor awareness due to no experience, which leads to the next topic of conversation.

These poor traits aren’t totally Petty’s fault. He had very little practice with the starters, as well as a poor offensive line. The no practice is subject to change in the 2017 offseason, and if the Jets are smart, so will the poor offensive line.

Petty will need to make good use of these starting reps in the offseason, and fix these two key areas. If he does, there’s no question that he will help New York win more games than they did this season. Bryce has the potential to be a solid quarterback, and if he works hard, that potential will turn into pure talent.