New York Jets

Jets GM hints Bryce Petty will be No. 2 QB, calls offseason 'very important'

Published Jan. 26, 2016 2:46 p.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

The New York Jets' quarterback situation is a fluid one ahead of 2016. Ryan Fitzpatrick is set to be a free agent, leaving just Geno Smith and Bryce Petty under contract at the position. General manager Mike Maccagnan said he hopes to strike a contract extension with Fitzpatrick in the "near future," but nothing is guaranteed.

Even if the Jets do re-sign Fitzpatrick, he can't necessarily be counted on. He's 33 years old and is coming off of an outstanding season, but he hasn't been the most consistent guy in the league. There's a reason he's bounced from team-to-team throughout his career, but there's no doubting his great season in 2015.

Finding a backup for Fitzpatrick is a priority given his frequent struggles, and rookie Bryce Petty could be that guy. Maccagnan discussed his development in the past year since being drafted out of Baylor, and he sounds excited, yet wary, of his potential.

Via NewYorkJets.com:

"We're really excited about working with Bryce this offseason, and this is going to be a very, very important offseason for him in his development," Maccagnan said. "I think he’s the type of kid who’s going to hopefully fulfill and achieve that. And we’ll get a better feel for where he’s at in the preseason next year and we’ll kind of measure that compared to where he was as a rookie to see how far he’s come along."

Smith was the backup in 2015, but the Jets didn't show much confidence in using him when needed. In fact, they elected to play with a one-handed Fitzpatrick under center rather than turning to Smith.

Petty was never an option to start last season, but Maccagnan views him as a primary backup in the future. Will that spell the end of the Geno Smith era in New York?

"We feel ability-wise, he can definitely be a quality No. 2 backup and the rest is kind of up to him," Maccagnan said. "He has the physical ability to potentially be a starting-caliber quarterback, but he still has to go out there and do it on the field in preseason and kind of see where he’s at. But we're very excited about working with him and we do feel he has a bright future."

It certainly sounds like Smith could be done with the Jets, especially after Maccagnan said he's "under contract for next year" when asked about his future. The Jets could try to move him and receive some compensation if they're confident Petty is ready to see the field, though Smith probably won't command much on the trade market.