The former Penn State standout and second-round draft pick officially signed with New York.
Quarterback Christian Hackenberg, the 51st overall selection in the 2016 NFL draft, signed his four-year rookie contract with the New York Jets, the team announced Thursday.
The Jets announced the signing, along with the signing of seventh-round wide receiver Charone Peake, on Twitter Thursday afternoon.
Hackenberg burst onto the national scene as a true freshman at Penn State in 2013, when he broke numerous school rookie records and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
His next two seasons were decidedly less successful, and the inconsistency hurt his draft stock. The Jets, however, were high on the 6-foot-4, 228-pound Hackenberg for some time, and that was evident when they hosted him at the team facility for a pre-draft visit on April 10.
Hackenberg joins a Jets quarterback situation that is muddled, at best. There are only three quarterbacks currently on the roster — fourth-year veteran Geno Smith, second-year prospect Bryce Petty and Hackenberg. That list, of course, does not include last season’s starter, Ryan Fitzpatrick, who remains an unrestricted free agent.
Fitzpatrick and the Jets have seemingly hit an impasse in their negotiations for a new deal. It has been consistently reported that New York is offering Fitzpatrick roughly $7 or $8 million annually, while the 33-year-old journeyman, who is coming off a career season, wants closer to double that amount.
Smith has starting experience and Petty is a young prospect the team likes. Barring an unforeseen injury or brilliant preseason performance, or some combination of the two, Hackenberg isn’t likely to see much playing time as a rookie.