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Former New York Jets right tackle Wayne Hunter had some choice words for New York Jets fans and media this week.

Consider it Hunter's not-so-nice parting shot.

"They're like sharks," Hunter told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "They let you know (how they feel) right off the bat. And even if you're doing good, they may just not like you for the heck of it. It's brutal over there. Those fans, they know what they want, and they pretty much demand it. So if you don't give it to them, they'll let you know."

Hunter was traded to the St. Louis Rams for former draft bust Jason Smith because both players were struggling and needed a change of scenery. Hunter’s play was awful last season, and it appeared to be getting worse during the preseason. He lost his starting job to Austin Howard.

Hunter was constantly ripped by Jets fans and the media for his play. His technique and footwork in pass protection was horrendous. The right tackle said the Jets treated him well, but not the media and fans in New York.

"There's no words to describe it,” Hunter explained. “If you can handle the 'Concrete Jungle,' you can handle anywhere. I've been through it all."

Hunter, in my experience, was a good person and a standup guy. Hunter always owned up to his mistakes, no matter how bad he played. The bottom line is Hunter simply wasn't very good, and certainly not starting material.

Maybe Hunter improves with a change of scenery. But if he performs in St. Louis like he did in New York, Rams fans eventually will treat Hunter the same way. It's a performance business.

This week's trade between Wayne Hunter and Jason Smith was an interesting one. It involved two struggling offensive tackles who used up the patience of their respective teams.

But the New York Jets and St. Louis Rams both believe they assisted each other by swapping the embattled tackles. The Rams are getting a former starter that offensive coordinator Brian Schottenhiemer is familiar with. The Jets get a former No. 2 overall pick who came into the league with some upside.

Hunter was not going to work out in New York, and St. Louis probably felt the same about Smith. At least these two teams tried something by changing the scenery.

"I would say a fresh start is good for a lot of people," Smith told New York reporters. "Obviously, at the end of day. ...I appreciate everything that the Rams did for me as far as allowing me to be a part of the organization. It’s kind of like everything else. It’s kind of like turning a new page of the chapter. I’m happy to be a Jet."

Smith is the first offensive tackle off the bench for the Jets. He no longer has the pressure of living up the No. 2 overall pick in St. Louis. He can be just another guy in New York for the first time in his career.

The Jets have their fingers crossed with new starting right tackle Austin Howard. He is perhaps the most important player in this equation. If Howard plays well and secures the right side this season, Smith can just focus on his limited plays per game. But if Howard struggles or gets injured in the regular season, Smith’s role could be too big to handle, based on his track record.

The infamous Wayne Hunter era is officially over in New York. The Jets traded the struggling right tackle to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for former draft bust Jason Smith.

According to the Jets, they had no intentions of trading Hunter. But St. Louis called the Jets with a proposition and both teams decided these embattled players could use a change of scenery.

This is a trade involving two struggling offensive tackles who might be a reclamation project elsewhere. For the Jets, they get a former No. 2 overall pick in Smith, who battled injuries, inconsistent play and never panned out. For the Rams, they get a struggling veteran with starting experience who may improve in a different system. Hunter also reunites with former Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer in St. Louis.

In my opinion, whether the acquisition of Smith pans out for the Jets doesn't really matter. This is a win for the Jets simply because it's an addition by subtraction. Hunter struggled mightily last season and wasn't getting any better, as evident by his awful preseason performance.

New York was fortunate to get a warm body in exchange for Hunter. Austin Howard will remain the Jets' starting right tackle, and maybe Smith plays halfway decent as their new third tackle off the bench.

It's "dress rehearsal" week in the NFL. This is the third and most important preseason game for most teams in preparation for the regular season.

Here are four questions for the third games in the AFC East:

No. 1: Can the New York Jets get in the end zone?

Thoughts: It’s a simple question. But the fact is New York remains the only NFL team yet to score a touchdown this preseason. The Jets are not showing everything, but leaks are springing up everywhere in their execution and fundamentals. Receivers are dropping passes, the pass protection has been horrendous and it's impacting quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow. The potential return Sunday of No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes should provide a boost to the passing game. Benching right tackle Wayne Hunter is another move to get this offense going in the right direction.

No. 2: Is it rest or rust for the New England Patriots?

Thoughts: Patriots head coach Bill Belichick made an interesting move on Monday when he sat out many of his big-name starters in the second preseason game. For Belichick, it was a chance to rest virtually all of his star players, but also get a good look at younger players like backup quarterback Ryan Mallett. The flip side is many of New England’s important players have just one quarter of work this entire preseason. Belichick plans to play his starters about three quarters to tonight against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Next week is a meaningless game. So tonight is New England’s last chance to shake of the rust before the regular season.

No. 3: Will the Buffalo Bills start fast?

Thoughts: Buffalo does not want to make a habit of starting games slowly. That's one of the quickest ways to fall out of playoff contention. But the Bills’ starters have been lethargic this preseason. Buffalo has been outscored 23-10 in the first half the past two weeks. The Bills need to get a fast start in this dress rehearsal game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It should be a good test of two teams expected to contend for a playoff spot in the AFC. If the Bills’ starters look lackadaisical for the third week in a row, you have to wonder if they are a little complacent and buying into their hype.

No. 4: Can the Miami Dolphins' defense step up?

Thoughts: Miami’s starting defense has allowed 24 first-quarter points the past two preseason games. Even with injuries, the fact that this group can’t get off the field should be a concern. Miami was without three key starters last week -- Karlos Dansby, Kevin Burnett and Cameron Wake -- so the defense gets a bit of a pass. But there will be no excuses in two weeks when the regular season begins. It's time for Miami's defense to build momentum. This is the strength of the team. If the defense doesn't play well, it's going to be a long season for the Dolphins.

The New York Jets finally listened to what plenty of fans and media observers have been calling for: They benched right tackle Wayne Hunter.

New York's former starting right tackle has struggled mightily since last season. Yet, Hunter received a vote of confidence from the Jets this offseason, and the team did nothing to acquire another starting-caliber tackle via the draft or free agency. Hunter made his preseason debut against the New York Giants last week and gave up three sacks in the first half. At that point the Jets had seen enough.

The Jets did the right thing by benching Hunter. But here is the next question: Is Austin Howard any good?

The Jets announced Thursday that Howard is the new starting right tackle. The three-year veteran has one career start, in 2010.

Jets fans should take a glass-half full approach to this benching. Is Howard a great replacement? Probably not. But Howard can't play any worse than Hunter, right?

AFC East blogger James Walker goes around the division to look at right tackle issues.

The New York Jets' offense can't run, can't pass, can't protect the quarterback and cannot get into the end zone.

Other than that, things are going pretty well.

The Jets are putting on a "Bad News Bears" type of performance offensively this preseason. Granted, these games don't count in the standings. But we haven't seen anything from the Jets to inspire confidence that they will improve on last season's No. 25 ranking in total offense during the regular season.

A full slate of organized team activities, minicamp and training camp have produced only three field goals in eight quarters. The Jets currently hold the embarrassing distinction as the only NFL team yet to score a preseason touchdown.

The much-hyped and much-anticipated quarterback battle between Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow has fizzled. Sanchez is 13-of-17 for 80 yards, with one pick-six and five sacks. Tebow is 9-of-22 for 96 yards, one interception and four sacks. The Jets' offense this preseason is best measured in inches, not yards.

At some point, confidence might become an issue. This is a group that struggled all last season under former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. But with "Schotty" gone, there is no scapegoat left to point the finger at besides the players failing to execute.

"Obviously like anything else, you want touchdowns because you want to see kids smile," Jets first-year offensive coordinator Tony Sparano told reporters this week. "You want to see the smile on their face. You want to see some validation on what it is that we’ve been doing and how hard they’ve been working."

There weren't many smiles from the Jets' offense in last weekend's 26-3 loss to the New York Giants. The Jets looked very frustrated for only a second preseason game.

Jets starting tailback Shonn Greene voiced his frustration after a failed fourth-down conversion in the first half. Tebow also was vocal and upset with his teammates for missed assignments. Tebow was sacked four times by the Giants' backups.

There are so many issues with personnel and execution that you wonder if the Jets can fix their offense in time for their Week 1 showdown in the AFC East against the Buffalo Bills.

Starting with the offensive line, the Jets must figure out what to do with starting right tackle Wayne Hunter. In his first preseason game last weekend, Hunter allowed three sacks and had a fourth called back because of a Giants penalty. Hunter was a major problem last season and has shown no signs of improvement.

"That stuff happens to everybody," Sanchez said of Hunter's bad game. "I don't care who you are."

Sanchez also spoke of building up Hunter's confidence and continuing to have faith in the struggling right tackle. New York's coaches say Hunter's problems are correctable. But the truth is he's just not a good player. If the Jets had a viable replacement, they would have benched Hunter by now. The problem is New York's options are very thin.

The Jets might have to turn to third-year tackle Austin Howard. I don't know if he's any good, but he can't play much worse than Hunter did in the last preseason game. New York should start Howard on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. If Howard doesn't give up four sacks in the first half, consider it progress. Another option would be to move draft bust Vladimir Ducasse from guard back to right tackle.

Whether it's Hunter, Howard or Ducasse, it's clear the Jets must give their right tackle help this season by consistently leaving in an extra tight end or running back. That takes away options in the passing game, but it is better than having Sanchez or Tebow laying on his back.

It's also time for the Jets to use their Wildcat offense. New York has been holding this formation close to the vest, but this wrinkle might be the best thing the Jets' offense has going for it. Tebow has proven he can move the chains with his legs, both with the Denver Broncos and the Jets in the preseason. I understand the Jets not wanting to show too much before they play the Bills on Sept. 9. But they should at least do a few basic, Wildcat plays to jumpstart the offense, get some work in and build the group's confidence.

My final preseason suggestion is for New York to play rookie receiver Stephen Hill as much as possible with the starters. The second-round pick has four receptions in two games. He is a raw talent in need of playing time. Hill has the size and speed to be an asset for the Jets, and this is the perfect time to develop him.

If Hill is more seasoned by the regular season when No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes returns from his rib injury, the Jets' receivers will be in much better shape than they are now. Hill also is a solid run blocker who will contribute to New York's ground-and-pound offense.

The Jets have a lot of problems offensively. But benching Hunter, using the Wildcat and developing Hill as much as possible this preseason should patch a few holes.

With a strong defense, the Jets don't need their offense to be world-beaters to win games. New York just needs its leaky ship on offense to stay afloat and keep its head above water.

Here are the most interesting stories Tuesday in the AFC East:

• Buffalo Bills second-round pick Cordy Glenn was named the starting left tackle by coach Chan Gailey.

Morning take: The Bills are really high on Glenn, who has the size to protect quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's blind side. That's a big responsibility for the rookie.

• New England Patriots starting safety Patrick Chung left Monday's preseason game with an injury.

Morning take: This is part of the reason Patriots coach Bill Belichick sat many of his key starters last night. It was New England's third preseason game in a short span -- and the Patriots needed to come out healthy.

• The Miami Dolphins' starting nod for quarterback Ryan Tannehill's signifies a youth movement in the NFL.

Morning take: Tannehill will be the fourth quarterback picked in the first round to start this season. The days of waiting a year or two for top picks at quarterback to develop are coming to an end. The pressure to win is too great.

• New York Jets right tackle Wayne Hunter is no automatic pick to start in Week 1.

Morning take: If the Jets had a viable replacement, Hunter would be benched by now. But New York doesn’t have many quality options to go to. So the team has to decide what to do next.

Here are the most interesting stories Monday in the AFC East:

• The New England Patriots are only looking forward.

Morning take: New England has the potential to win the AFC again and is probably the preseason favorite. But a lot has to go right for the Patriots to have another shot at the championship. It will be a long journey.

• The Miami Dolphins' defense is getting bullied around this preseason.

Morning take: Miami's defense is giving up yards and points at an alarming rate. Yes, there have been injuries. But at the very least, the Dolphins are showing lack of depth on defense.

• The New York Jets are on "Wayne Watch" after Wayne Hunter's poor preseason performance.

Morning take: Hunter is on the hot seat after having his hand in three sacks in Saturday's preseason loss to the New York Giants. But here is the big question: Who could replace Hunter?

• Buffalo Bills rookie safety Delano Howell is moving up the depth chart.

Morning take: It's clear Buffalo is searching for safety depth after the team looked into acquiring Jim Leonhard. If Howell proves worthy of a 53-man roster, it would be a big boost to the secondary.

Week 2 of the preseason is nearly in the books. The New England Patriots still have their game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.

But here is a look at whose stock is rising and falling this preseason in the AFC East:

Falling

1. New York Jets RT Wayne Hunter: One of the biggest offseason mysteries is why the Jets didn't do enough to find a replacement for Hunter. He struggled mightily last year. Yet, New York didn't draft a top right tackle or sign one in free agency. Hunter made his 2012 preseason debut and looked much like he did in 2011, allowing two easy sacks to New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Hunter also allowed a third sack to Osi Umenyiora, but it was called back on a defensive penalty. Things became so bad that Hunter was trending on Twitter at one point last night. If the Jets continue to stick with Hunter, it could be bad news for the Jets' offense and starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.

2. First-quarter defenses: We won't overrate the preseason. But the first-string defenses from the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins have been a bit concerning. The Dolphins have allowed 24 first-quarter points the past two preseason games. They can't get off the field. Granted, Miami linebackers Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett and defensive end Cameron Wake were out Friday, but Tampa Bay had success as well. This group says it wants to be a top-10 defense and needs to play much better. Buffalo has been healthy but the starters allowed 10 unanswered points in the first quarter; opponents have scored 17 first-quarter points in two preseason games. The Bills need to do a better job of setting the tone and can't assume they can turn it on Week 1 against the Jets.

3. Matt Moore, Dolphins quarterback: Moore was the favorite to win Miami's quarterback job when the offseason began. He was the incumbent who had the health advantage over David Garrard and experience advantage over rookie Ryan Tannehill. But once all three quarterbacks took the practice field, it was clear Moore was falling behind. Garrard got the nod in the opener and Tannehill earned a chance to start over the weekend against Carolina. Moore hasn't done well in practices or games. He was 5-for-15 for 57 yards against the Carolina Panthers. Overall, Moore is 12-of-27 for 136 yards and an interception.

Rising

1. Vince Young, Bills quarterback: Young came out as the big winner in Buffalo's 36-14 loss to Minnesota, taking a big step in his quest to win the No. 2 quarterback job by completing 8 of 14 passes for 123 yards. It also didn't hurt that his competition -- Tyler Thigpen -- threw his second interception of the preseason. Buffalo most likely will keep only one of these quarterbacks, and it appears Young has the inside track with two preseason games left.

2. LaRon Landry, Jets safety: The Jets brought in Landry this offseason to be an enforcer. He showed flashes of it Saturday night with some big plays against the Giants. Landry laid the lumber on Giants receiver Victor Cruz and also recorded his first interception of the preseason. It was a solid showing for Landry, who must stay healthy this year.

3. New England's return game: The Patriots didn't need more assistance scoring points. But they might have got it with the signing of former Florida running back and Olympic silver medalist Jeff Demps. New England beat out the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and others for the speedster. The Patriots appear fine at running back, but where Demps may be able to contribute the most right away is returning kicks. Better field position for quarterback Tom Brady and Co. could mean more points.

It was another awful night for New York Jets starting right tackle Wayne Hunter. He officially allowed two sacks. But Hunter also was involved in another team sack and had one called back via a penalty on the Giants.

Saturday marked Hunter’s first preseason game, but it looked much like last season. His pass protection was horrific and it’s scary to think how things would’ve turned out if the starting offense played an entire game.

Hunter later told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, “Either you perform or you don’t perform. If I don’t, they’re going to find someone to bring in and compete and get the job done.”

The problem is the Jets may not have a viable replacement.

Backup tackle Austin Howard is the next best option, but he’s also struggling. Former second-round pick Vladimir Ducasse was a draft bust at offensive tackle, so he’s moved to guard. Is Howard or Ducasse a better option? It seems either choice puts Jets starting quarterback Mark Sanchez at risk.

We've been writing for months in the AFC East blog that New York needs to draft or sign a starting-caliber right tackle. It is baffling that the Jets didn't do enough to replace Hunter this offseason. It should have been one of New York's biggest priorities.

Instead, the Jets surprisingly showed a lot of confidence in Hunter. It could be a decision that haunts the Jets this season.

It looks like Wayne Hunter's starting job at right tackle is safe for at least another year.

The New York Jets' trade with the Carolina Panthers for Jeff Otah fell through on Tuesday. New York traded a draft pick to Carolina on the conditions of Otah passing a physical. The right tackle had a bad knee but a week to get healthy. It didn’t work out and Otah is with the Panthers again.

Hunter struggled mightily at right tackle last year. The Jets curiously didn't do much in the draft or free agency to challenge Hunter but felt a low-risk move for Otah was worth a shot.

Here are the most interesting stories Thursday morning in the AFC East:

• The New York Jets' trade with the Carolina Panthers is on hold after offensive tackle Jeff Otah failed his physical.

Morning take: This is not a big surprise. Otah has bad knees and the Jets knew it when they traded a conditional pick for him. Otah has a week to get healthy for the trade to go through. Wayne Hunter has his fingers crossed.

• The Miami Dolphins signed two more draft picks: Olivier Vernon and Michael Egnew.

Morning take: That leaves quarterback and first-round pick Ryan Tannehill as the last remaining draft pick. Players report today, but practice isn't until Friday. So Miami has one more day to work out a contract before Tannehill misses time on the field.

• What will tight end Visanthe Shiancoe bring to the New England Patriots’ offense?

Morning take: Depth is most important. Shiancoe can still be a decent receiving tight end, and that's what New England needs in this offense. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez can get injured at any time.

• The Buffalo Bills are eager to get back to work.

Morning take: Buffalo still has a sour taste from losing eight of its last nine games last season. A stellar offseason has given this team playoff aspirations. But it is up to the players and coaches to put the work in, starting now.

New York Jets fans can rejoice. The infamous Wayne Hunter era as New York's starting right tackle is presumably over.

The Jets acquired Jeff Otah from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a conditional draft choice on Monday. Otah has 29 career starts and is talented enough to replace Hunter as New York's starting right tackle in Week 1.

Many were dumbfounded that the Jets did nothing to replace Hunter this offseason after Hunter struggled mightily in 2011. Jets starting quarterback Mark Sanchez had little protection on the right side and was sacked a career-high 39 times last season.

Otah is a solid player and a definite upgrade over Hunter and backup Vladimir Ducasse, who has been slow to develop.

The Jets are obviously tired of waiting for Ducasse and can no longer get by with Hunter as the starter. The Otah trade could quietly become one of the smartest moves in the AFC East this offseason.

We have another interesting "Poll Friday" in the AFC East blog. This week we take a look at players who struggled in 2011 and are looking for bounce-back seasons.

Which player has the best chance to flourish in 2012: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Wayne Hunter, Shawne Merriman or Devin McCourty? All four players have expectations to improve.

Will it be Fitzpatrick? The Buffalo Bills' starting quarterback lost eight of his last nine starts in 2011. Fitzpatrick played with hurt ribs, but injuries are no longer an excuse. The Bills have playoff hopes and Fitzpatrick has to produce for a full season.

What about Hunter, the starting right tackle of the New York Jets? Hunter struggled mightily in pass protection and contributed to Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez being sacked a career-high 39 times. The Jets are giving Hunter another chance to protect Sanchez’s front side.

Merriman is an interesting case. He was a former Pro Bowler who looked dominant early in his career. But injuries, including a bad Achilles, have made Merriman a shell of his former self. Can “Lights Out” get back to his old form?

Finally, we have McCourty of the New England Patriots. The cornerback had a major sophomore slump and is looking to regain his great rookie form.

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which player is most likely to have a bounce-back season. You can also share your thoughts in the comments section below.