Reports: Bryce Petty will start at quarterback for Jets vs. Rams

With Ryan Fitzpatrick injured, Bryce Petty is expected to make his first NFL start.

Jets quarterback Bryce Petty will make his first NFL start against the Rams on Sunday, according to numerous reports. WFAN’s Chris Moore was first to report the news. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick injured his knee in last week’s game, which led to Petty taking the field for the first time in his NFL career. Petty was on the field for four plays and completed both of his pass attempts for 19 yards before Fitzpatrick was able to re-enter the game. 

Fitzpatrick was listed as questionable on this week’s injury report, but will be active on Sunday.

SI.com’s Chris Burke details what to expect in the former Baylor quarterback’s first start.

Aside from his brief cameo last week, the only hints at how Petty will perform for the Jets come from the preseason. He was 32 of 56 passing during four exhibition appearances this past summer, with three touchdowns and a pick. He also took six sacks, half of those coming in a game against Jacksonville. So, the Rams’ defensive front could give him a tough time of it Sunday.

Petty was presumed to be the Jets’ QB of the future when they added him to Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith during the 2015 draft, but his outlook turned a lot murkier when Christian Hackenberg came aboard this past April. Like Hackenberg, most viewed Petty as a bit of a long-term project—his background in Baylor’s spread system presented a steep learning curve once he reached the pros. He does have the size (6' 3", 230 lbs.) that teams covet in their QBs, with a strong arm behind it. How successful he is out as an NFL starter, though, depends on how much progress he’s made in terms of reading defenses. That progress can be tough to come by while watching from the sidelines.

Petty entered the season as the third-string quarterback and was promoted to backup after Geno Smith tore his ACL.