The New York Jets have begun the thinning of their crowded quarterback room.
Gang Green released quarterback Bryce Petty, the team confirmed on Thursday.
The New York Daily News first reported the news.
The decision comes as no surprise after the Jets drafted Sam Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick last week. With the first-round selection in the building and Josh McCown in-house to provide a bridge and mentor, the rest of the QB room became superfluous. The Jets also signed Teddy Bridgewater this offseason to little guaranteed money, and still have 2016 second-round pick Christian Hackenberg hanging around.
Petty was a fourth-round pick in 2015. He probably got the axe before Hackenberg because higher picks generally get a longer leash. The Jets also likely saw all they needed to see from Petty to know he would never be the answer under center.
The 26-year-old Petty started seven career games over the past two seasons (1-6 record), completing just 53.1 percent of his passes for a total of 1,353 yards with four touchdowns to 10 interceptions. The quarterback lacks NFL-caliber accuracy, struggles with his progression, and owns poor pocket presence.
With Petty out the door, the battle for the third job behind Darnold and McCown should commence. Bridgewater's contract makes it easy for the Jets to move on, especially if he's not 100 percent healthy. On the other hand, most expect the Jets to part with the uber-disappointing Hackenberg, who could be cut before he ever takes a regular-season snap.