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As the Jets have floundered about at quarterback this season, the guy they spent a second-round pick on hasn’t been a factor at all.

But Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey objected to classifying rookie quarterback Christian Hackenberg as a “mystery,” and offered what amounts to the most vigorous defense to date of a guy who has become an afterthought behind Ryan Fitzpatrick and Bryce Petty.

“I don’t like that word,” Gailey said, via Daniel Popper of the New York Daily News. “I think he’s a developmental player at this point. There’s a lot of talent there. The sky’s the limit.”

The Jets are as curious about his potential as anyone, but since he’s third on the depth chart, he gets so few reps in practice that they can’t accurately measure his progress.

“He gets scout team reps and that’s what he gets,” Gailey said. “He gets the pre-practice individual throws. He’s learning every day about when to throw the ball, how to throw the ball. Up here it’s different than it is in college. He’s learning a great deal.

“To me, he’s gotten better every week. He understands the game better. He understands the defenses better. He understands protections better. That’s all a part of the growth process.”

And the Jets seem content to wait to see the growth at another time, rather than rolling him out in a lost season.