The Facts: Todd Bowles, speaking to reporters Tuesday morning at the NFL owners meetings, declared it an open competition between holdovers Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty and recently signed veteran Josh McCown. Bowles also mentioned the possibility of selecting a quarterback with the No. 6 overall pick, saying "there is a scenario" where that could occur.
Diehards Line:
Some assumed the 37-year-old McCown, with 14 years of experience, would be given the inside track after signing a one-year, $6 million contract (fully guaranteed) last week. But the organization wants to give Hackenberg, a second-round pick in 2016, a legitimate shot at the job. "There will be heavy competition for the job," Bowles said. "Nobody has been promised the starting quarterback job. They'll all get a chance to play and we'll make that decision, going forward, when training camp starts as we see production from certain people." The immediate plan is to have them "alternate reps" through the offseason, Bowles said. Petty's status is up in the air, as he's still recovering from labrum surgery on his non-throwing shoulder. Bowles said he's not sure when Petty will be able to resume throwing.