New York Jets: Player evaluations at Quarterback and Running Back
Bryce Petty
FINAL STATS: 55-112, 49.1% COMPLETION PERCENTAGE, 544 YARDS, ONE TOUCHDOWN, THREE INTERCEPTIONS; 7 RUSHES, 55 YARDS
Bryce, Bryce, Bryce. So much talent in the arm. If only he could ever put it together. Make no mistake, Petty does have a big arm. He can make all of the throws necessary. If that were the only element to being an effective quarterback, the Jets wouldn’t need to look for a starter in free agency or the draft. Bryce Petty would be the guy. Unfortunately there is just so much more to it than that.
Now he has taken steps forward in 2017. We gave Petty one of our three game balls after the New England game. His reads have gotten better. Through the three starts this year, Petty made better decisions with the football. He wasn’t throwing the ball into the same tight windows that he has in the past. Petty is understanding the NFL game better than he did before. That is a testament to his hard work.
The trouble is his accuracy. Petty’s accuracy just isn’t good. The problem is his footwork and the inconsistency of that footwork. When Petty sets his feet correctly and shows correct mechanics, he makes a good throw. That doesn’t happen often enough. Too often, his feet are not set, he doesn’t follow through, or whatever else he does wrong. That causes errant throws. The footwork is behind everything else and is what is keeping him from being an NFL starter.
Petty could make a good career backup, though.