FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Christian Hackenberg last appeared in a football game on Sept. 1, 2016, in Philadelphia -- the New York Jets' preseason finale. He was a jittery, overwhelmed rookie who finished with one of the worst statistical lines imaginable. After the game, he disappeared into the Hackenberg Protection Program.
On Saturday night, the Jets will unveil Hackenberg 2.0, and this is what you will see against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium:
A more confident quarterback than a year ago.
A quarterback with improved mechanics and better body language.
A passer who, when the moment is right, can unleash a major-league fastball on target.
Even the untrained eye can see Hackenberg is a changed quarterback -- he can find the ocean now! -- but is he good enough to start Sept. 10 against the Buffalo Bills? Probably not. Coach Todd Bowles acknowledged as much, saying the goal is to develop him at a slow and steady pace.
"I'm not expecting him him to go out there and be Roger Staubach," Bowles said of his expectations for the preseason opener. "I mean, if he is, so be it, but we're trying to get him better.
"He's 22 years old. The kid's got to get a chance to play and make some mistakes and grow from it and come back from adversity and make good plays. We just want to see his overall play and, as the preseason goes, you want to see him progress and then see where he is."
Josh McCown remains the presumptive starter for Week 1. All three quarterbacks will see action against the Titans, with Hackenberg and Bryce Petty likely receiving most of the playing time. Bowles said they're "all pretty even right now" in the Not-So-Great Quarterback Competition, hardly a ringing endorsement for anyone.
Based on the first 11 practices, Hackenberg isn't ready to start. Unofficially, he has completed only 51 percent of his passes, including a team-high four interceptions. All four came this week, when his reps were increased and he received significant time with the starting offense.
Hackenberg's biggest problem is his penchant for holding the ball -- a no-no in any offense, especially the West Coast system. It's based on rhythm and timing, and he's not making his reads quick enough. It would help if he had some receivers who could get open, but that's a story for another day.
Practice hiccups notwithstanding, the first real test happens against the Titans. Bowles hasn't announced his quarterback rotation, but it would be wise to get Hackenberg into the game ASAP. Why not? The Jets know what McCown can and can't do. They also have a pretty good feel for Petty. But Hackenberg? He's the mystery man.
"He's going to play all preseason," Bowles said. "He's going to get a lot of reps, so whether he plays good or bad does not determine his reps for next week or after that."
It has been 344 days since Hackenberg played in a game, one he'd like to forget. Facing the Eagles' third stringers, he completed only 11 of 31 passes for 54 yards and an interception. He averaged less than two yards per attempt, a rarity in football.
But that was the old Hackenberg. The new version is excited about his opportunity, as he continues to learn on the job with the Jets' young receivers.
"That is what has been one of the cooler parts about camp," he said.
The Jets have so many questions and issues as they embark on a long, rebuilding trail, but it all comes back to the quarterbacks, even if Bowles doesn't agree with that.
"I'm not basing this game solely on Christian's star debut as a movie-theater actor," he said.
He's no Captain America -- a.k.a. Staubach.