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As far back as the scouting combine in February, Rex Ryan started dropping hints about Quinton Coples becoming more of an edge player. He'll be on the edge, all right. Coples, used mostly as an interior lineman as a rookie, will be moved to 3-4 outside linebacker, according to a league source.

Ryan uses multiple fronts, so it's quite possible Coples will be deployed as a down lineman in certain situations. But the plan, for now, is to stand him up. The former first-round pick was listed at 290 pounds last season, so he will have to drop weight to play linebacker, which requires some pass-coverage responsibilities.

This helps explain why the Jets were so hot for DT Sheldon Richardson, their second pick in the first round. Now there's an opening on the line for Richardson, who projects as a Day 1 starter.

Coples, the 16th overall pick in 2012, led the team with 5.5 sacks even though he played in only 47 percent of the defensive snaps.

New GM John Idzik has begun to remake the Jets' scouting department. Two longtime area scouts, Joe Bommarito and Michael Davis, won't be back with the team, as their contracts weren't renewed, a league source confirmed Wednesday night.

"Pay attention," the source said, "I'm sure there will be more changes."

Bommarito (West Coast scout) and Davis (Mid-Atlantic), both of whom are well-regarded in the scouting community, were informed after the draft of the changes. They spent 12 and 16 years with the Jets, respectively.

Davis was the assistant director of college scouting. He was the area scout for QB Geno Smith. The day after Smith was picked in the second round, Davis was brought out by the Jets to meet the media, fielding questions about Smith.

A new GM usually brings in his own people, so the changes didn't come as a surprise.

Should Gang Green just go ahead and cut Mark Sanchez? We debate; you decide.
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GM John Idzik, a guest Wednesday morning on SiriusXM NFL Radio, said the organization will be patient with rookie QB Geno Smith.

"We don't feel like there's any pressure to get him in there right away, especially with the cast of quarterbacks we have in the competition," Idzik said.

Some of the pressure is alleviated because Smith is a second-round pick, not a first-rounder, but he's still a high-profile addition on a team desperate for a quarterback answer. Make no mistake, when Smith is ready to play, he'll play.

Idzik addressed a few other topics:

Mark Sanchez's future: Idzik claimed that Sanchez's huge guarantee ($8.25 million base) will have no bearing on whether he's on the team. "We take finances out of it," he said. We all know that finances play an important role in personnel decisions, although it bears noting that Idzik came from a team -- the Seahawks -- that sat Matt Flynn last season despite $9 million in guarantees.

Roll Tide: Idzik said CB Dee Milliner was an "extraordinary pick" at No. 9. "Unfortunately, I think it's inevitable ... that he'll be [compared to Darrelle Revis]. Dee will be his own player, a very good player. Darrelle will be Darrelle."

St. Booo: Idzik said he wasn't surprised or bummed out when the Rams traded ahead of the Jets, picking WR Tavon Austin at No. 8. Austin and Milliner were the top two players on the Jets' draft board. "I wouldn't call it disappointing," Idzik said. "We had an inclination St. Louis was interested in him and perhaps they would want to get ahead of us in fear we would take him. We were happy with Dee. Quite frankly, we were surprised Dee was there at nine. We were elated to choose him." Chances are they would've taken Austin over Milliner if they had the choice.

Multiple fronts: The addition of first-round DT Sheldon Richardson provides more flexibility, which will allow the Jets to play more 4-3 fronts. "We're not locked into a traditional 3-4 front," Idzik said.

With the draft in the books, this is a good opportunity to update the Jets' depth chart. This is our version, not the official depth chart. We'll limit it to veterans and draft picks, and it's based on now, not a projection:

GM John Idzik and Rex Ryan went on an all-out media blitz Tuesday, with Idzik hitting four radio shows and Ryan one. They also were together for a conference call with season-ticket holders, answering questions from fans. I'm surprised they didn't show up on "The View."

Anyway, here are some nuggets culled from a day of listening to them spit back their talking points:

INTEREST IN BRAYLON: Idzik admitted (sort of) the Jets might have an interest in re-signing WR Braylon Edwards. He acknowledged they're looking upgrade their depth, and he had some nice things to say about Edwards, whom he knows from their few months together in Seattle last year. Idzik: "I know [Edwards] very well. Guys like that would be under consideration as we go forward, for sure."

TINY TIM: Ryan added to the postmortem on Tim Tebow, saying they misused the former backup quarterback. Said Ryan: "We really didn't take advantage, in my opinion, of his skill set. It's nobody's fault. Ultimately, it's my fault."

REX'S FUTURE: There was a lot of talk about Ryan's future, considering he's perceived as a lame-duck coach. That, Ryan admitted, is motivation. He said, "To say I don't have a chip on my shoulder and I'm not going to show it ... Well, I'm going to show it." Naturally, Idzik said he and Ryan make a good team, and the GM avoided any comments about Ryan's future beyond 2013.

TO TELL THE TRUTH: Idzik took umbrage with Darrelle Revis' claim last week that he was misled by the GM. Revis basically called Idzik a liar for telling him he wasn't going to get traded. Asked if he misled Revis, Idzik said, "Absolutely not. I've been called a lot of names in my career -- and will be in the future -- but 'dishonest' is not one of them. Honestly and integrity will always be a calling card of the Jets. It always will be a big part of who I am. It will never change and it certainly didn't change in my relationship and communication with [Revis]."

Q RATING: Ryan admitted that DT Quinton Coples could be used as an edge player, with Muhammad Wilkerson and rookie Sheldon Richardson playing inside.

CONTRACT UPDATE: Turns out that RB Chris Ivory signed a three-year, $6 million contract, including a $2.25 million signing bonus. His cap number this year will be $1.5 million. RG Stephen Peterman signed a one-year, $905,000 contract, including a $65,000 signing bonus.

As expected, former Jets QB Tim Tebow went unclaimed during the 24-hour waiver period following his release on Monday, according to a league source. As a result, Tebow is a free agent.

If a team had claimed him, it would've picked up Tebow's contract, which called for him to make $1.055 million in 2013 and $895,000 in 2014 -- both non-guaranteed salaries. There were, of course, others reasons why he went unclaimed. If you need an explanation, you haven't been paying attention for the last two years.

The Jets' financial obligation isn't over. They still owe the Broncos $1.53 million, per the trade agreement. And, yes, that counts on this year's salary cap.

The folks at ESPN Stats & Information have provided an in-depth look at QB Geno Smith. Drink it in:

SHOTGUN SHOW: Smith attempted over 96 percent of his passes out of a shotgun or pistol formation in his career. West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen introduced Smith to the pistol in 2011, and he has thrown 42 touchdowns and four interceptions out of that formation since then. Jets perspective: The shotgun is a big part of Marty Mornhinweg's offense, but it's not the base formation. With the Eagles last season, Mornhinweg's quarterbacks attempted 69 percent of their passes out of the shotgun.

RUN THREAT: Smith scrambled for 253 yards and averaged 7.2 yards per scramble in 2012. But the run wasn't a big part of the system for the Mountaineers. Smith attempted only 11 designed rushes in 2012 and averaged 2.6 yards per rush on those carries. Jets perspective: After drafting Smith, the Jets indicated they could install some read-option packages for him.

BLITZ BUSTER: Robert Griffin III led the NFL with a 96.8 Total QBR when facing five or more pass-rushers in 2012. Like Griffin, Smith excelled against extra pressure in his final year of college. In his final year at Baylor, Griffin completed 70.2 percent of throws against added pressure, with a 11-0 TD-to-INT ratio. Smith was at 70.8 percent with a 12-1 ratio in 2012. Jets perspective: Smith was blitzed a lot because West Virginia often played in an open formation without a tight end. The Jets were blitzed a lot last season because ... well, they didn't have any blitz-blitzing wide receivers.

SHORT BUT EFFECTIVE: Smith threw 177 of his 518 passes at or behind the line of scrimmage in 2012, including an AQ-high 112 screen passes. As a result, Smith's average pass traveled 7.7 yards past the line of scrimmage, the fewest air yards per attempt of any top QB prospect. Jets perspective: In college, Smith benefited from having WR Tavon Austin, who had more yards-after-catch than any receiver in the draft. The Jets don't have a guy like that, but the backs will be more involved in the passing game than last season.

GOING DEEP: Smith completed over 42 percent of his passes thrown 15 yards or longer in 2012, including 15 touchdowns. Yet in West Virginia's six losses, Smith completed fewer than a quarter of his 15-yard throws and was off target (overthrown, underthrown or wide) on more than half of his attempts. Jets perspective: Smith's deep accuracy was a concern for the Jets; they studied it closely in his pro-day workout.

Now that Tim Tebow is gone, what happens to the rest of the gang?

Barring something unforeseen, Mark Sanchez is expected to remain on the roster until the preseason. He showed up for voluntary workouts Monday and, although he didn't have any formal discussions with the team about his future, he's operating under the assumption that he'll be in the quarterback competition, a source said.

Sanchez was thought to be a goner when the Jets selected Geno Smith in the second round -- and he still might be -- but GM John Idzik apparently will let it play out until the summer. Aside from the financial ramifications of cutting Sanchez -- an $8.25 million guaranteed base, plus $500,000 in workout bonuses -- the Jets don't want to cut the only durable and experienced quarterback on the roster until they're convinced they have viable alternatives.

Veteran David Garrard has missed the last two seasons because of back and knee surgery and Greg McElroy was injured last season (concussion) during his only career start. It would be a bit unusual to take five quarterbacks to training camp, but it's possible they could keep five for the spring, evaluating through the OTAs and minicamp.

Vinny Testaverde, a part-time quarterback instructor at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., held clandestine workouts earlier this month with another former Jets quarterback -- Tim Tebow.

The two former Heisman Trophy winners worked out for a week at a Tampa-area high school, where Testaverde focused on improving Tebow's footwork. He felt Tebow had made significant strides, so he was bummed Monday to learn the Jets had released the famous backup.

"I was kind of disappointed because I was hoping he'd get a chance to show the coaches what we worked on," Testaverde told ESPNNewYork.com. "I think they would've been impressed if they had compared this year to last year."

Testaverde and former NFL QB Chris Weinke, one of the top instructors at IMG, evaluated Tebow last month. Testaverde and Weinke "speak the same quarterback language," as Testaverde put it, because they both played under Dan Henning, a former Jets and Panthers coordinator.

"Chris and I looked at Tim careful and we were both amazed," Testaverde said. "Everybody has been focusing on his throwing motion, trying to fix that, but nobody had picked up his footwork. His footwork was all screwed up. Chris and I looked at each other after about four or five throws, and we saw the same thing. We got his footwork fixed. His throwing motion is now a non-issue.

"He throws with what we call 'effortless power.' He doesn't have that elongated motion anymore and his head isn't moving 2 1/2 feet when he throws it."

Asked to explain Tebow's footwork flaws in layman's terms, Testaverde said "he was stepping in the wrong direction when he was throwing the football."

Two weeks after the initial session at IMG, Testaverde and Tebow met every day for a week at Jesuit High School, where Testaverde is an assistant coach. They held the sessions during school hours to avoid a scene. They worked alone on the field, enjoying the privacy. One day, they were recognized by a student looking out a lunch-room window. The student tweeted it and it was picked up by a local sports network, creating headlines.

Testaverde said he enjoyed his time with Tebow. They actually worked together briefly a couple of years ago. This time, Tebow's brother, Robby, reached out to him, asking if he could tutor Tim again.

Even though everyone in the football world knew Tebow's days with the Jets were numbered, he was "excited" to report to the offseason program two weeks ago, according to Testaverde.

"He's a positive and confident individual, and he was feeling good about learning the new stuff," Testaverde said. "He was hoping for the opportunity to showcase his abilities. So was I. Hopefully, he gets that chance somewhere else."

File this under "transactions overshadowed by Tim Tebow's release."

The Jets announced the contract extension for newly-acquired RB Chris Ivory, who signed a three-year deal for about $10 million, as widely reported on Saturday. Ivory was acquired last Friday in a trade with the Saints, who received the Jets' fourth-round pick.

The team also formally announced the signing of free-agent G Stephen Peterman, who agreed to a one-year contract last week. The former Lion, a longtime starter, could end up starting at right guard.

The Jets also announced the signing of 15 undrafted free agents:

Troy Davis, LB, Central Florida

Mike Edwards, DB, Hawaii

Dalton Freeman, OL, Clemson

Trey Gilleo, OL, Northern Arizona

Roosevelt Holliday,DL, Eastern Illinois

Jake McDonough, DL, Iowa State

Rontez Miles, S, California (Pa.)

Spencer Nealy, DE, Texas A&M

Chris Pantale, TE, Boston College

Mark Popek, OL, South Florida

Zach Rogers, WR, Tennessee

Mike Shanahan, TE, Pitt

Ryan Spadola, WR, Lehigh

K.J. Stroud, WR, Bethune-Cookman

Antavious Wilson, WR, Marshall

Soon after arriving last spring, Tim Tebow, in casual conversation with reporters, revealed he had changed the name of his dog, a Rhodesian ridgeback, to fit his new city. The dog, known as "Bronco" in Denver, became known as "Bronx."

Is there a new name in the dog's future?

Tebow, released Monday in a long-anticipated move by the Jets, is a free agent. Where will he end up? Will he find a job in the NFL? Just a hunch here, but I wouldn't be shocked if he landed with the Patriots. A few reasons:

His former Broncos coach, Josh McDaniels, is the offensive coordinator. The Patriots showed interest in Tebow before the 2010 draft; he and Bill Belichick went to dinner in Boston during a visit to the Patriots. If anyone can figure out how to deploy Tebow, it's Belichick, who loves guys like Tebow -- hard-working and passionate about football. And last, but not least, Belichick would love to stick it to the Jets, showing them -- and the world -- he can make it work. There wouldn't be a quarterback controversy, not with Tom Brady there.

Someone who knows Tebow told me recently the Jets were afraid to cut him because they were concerned he'd end up in New England. Frankly, I don't think that's why they waited so long -- they waited through the draft to see if they could trade him -- but it wouldn't surprise me if the Patriots scenario has entered the minds of some folks at One Jets Drive.

If Tebow lands with the Patriots, would he change the dog's name again? Three possibilities: "Belichick." "Brady." "Brockton."

The CFL has been floated as a possibility, mostly by media and CFL types. The Montreal Alouettes own his rights. GM Jim Popp told TSN.com Monday morning that he'd be open to acquiring Tebow, but he wouldn't come in as a starter.

"If he wants to come to Canada he would be in the same situation as the one he was in with New York," Popp said. "He can come here and compete to be the backup to Anthony Calvillo and learn the game, just like Jeff Garcia did (behind Doug Flutie). And one day he might be the guy; that's our vision. He can learn from the best."

Tim Tebow's days in a New York Jets uniform have come to an end. ESPNNewYork.com looks back on his Big Apple experience. Check out our Top 10 Photo Gallery.

A look back at the highlights (all three of them) and lowlights (too many to count) of Tim Tebow’s brief time in New York:

March 19 -- Coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum are sipping on Ben & Jerry’s milkshakes at Newark Airport, waiting for a flight to the North Carolina pro day, when Tannenbaum broaches the idea of trading for Tebow. Peyton Manning is on the verge of signing with the Denver Broncos, so Tannenbaum figures Tebow will be available.

March 21 -- The Jets complete one of the biggest and most controversial trades in team history, acquiring Tebow and a seventh-round pick for fourth- and sixth-round picks. They agree to pay $2.53 million to the Broncos to satisfy a clause in Tebow’s contract, the source of a disagreement between the two teams that nearly blows up the trade.

March 22 -- Tebow lands in Morristown, N.J., via private jet, to visit the Jets’ facility. News choppers fly overhead, following his car on the short drive to the facility -- an O.J.-like scene. No white Bronco, though.

March 24 -- One week after signing backup QB Drew Stanton as a free agent, the Jets trade him to the Indianapolis Colts for a sixth-round pick -- an embarrassing about-face for the organization. Stanton complained after the Tebow trade, forcing the Jets’ hand. It costs them $500,000, the amount of Stanton’s signing bonus.

March 26 -- In perhaps the first news conference in history for a backup quarterback, Tebow is introduced at a Super Bowl-sized gathering in the team’s fieldhouse. It attracts more than 200 credentialed media types, 36 TV cameras and at least 12 satellite trucks outside. Oddly, no one from the team’s hierarchy is present; they’re in Florida at the league meetings.

May 10 -- Tebow reveals he has changed the name of his dog, a Rhodesian ridgeback, to fit with his new address. Say hello to Bronx, formerly known as Bronco. Believe it or not, this makes headlines. Is another name change in the offing for the dog?

July 27 -- Tebow makes his training-camp debut in Cortland, N.Y., a closed practice in which he struggles mightily -- a harbinger.

July 28 -- The shirt hits the fan. Following a rain-soaked practice, Tebow makes national news by removing his jersey and running shirtless to the locker room, parting the rain drops. A video of his jaunt hits the Internet and goes viral. Poking fun at himself, he shows up for a quarterbacks meeting later in the day wearing no shirt.

Aug. 2 -- With ESPN cameras recording his every move, Tebow provides a made-for-TV moment, scoring on a routine goal-line drill -- the first glimpse of the highly anticipated Wildcat.

Aug. 10 -- Tebow makes his preseason debut with a predictable performance. He scrambled four times to lead the team in rushing, but he was shaky as a passer, throwing a terrible interception -- another harbinger.

Aug. 13 -- In a laughable display of paranoia, the Jets hold a closed practice devoted largely to the Wildcat. Reporters are permitted to watch, but they’re not allowed to report details. Coordinator Tony Sparano, not the trusting type, instructs players to form a wall on the sideline, blocking the view of reporters. ESPN reports live, but the crew is told to keep the camera far from the field.

Aug. 30 -- Owner Woody Johnson puts foot in mouth, telling a TV interviewer that "I think you can never have too much Tebow." The comment naturally becomes a headline, fueling the perception it was Johnson’s idea to acquire Tebow.

Sept. 9 -- In the grand unveiling, Tebow and the Wildcat are a flop in the season-opening win over the Buffalo Bills. Tebow rushed five times for 11 yards, resulting in a smattering of boos -- yet another harbinger.

Sept. 18 -- In a Q & A with ESPNNewYork.com, Tebow makes news by revealing post-football political aspirations. It provides monologue fodder for TV talk-show host Jimmy Fallon. If Tebow tries to pass a bill, Fallon cracks, it will get intercepted over the middle.

Sept. 20 -- An ominous sign: A testy Sparano, supposedly the godfather of the Wildcat, defends his use of Tebow (or lack thereof) by explaining that using a player with Tebow’s skill set is "uncharted territory." It’s the first indication that Sparano isn’t on board.

Sept. 23 -- Tebow appears in 12 offensive snaps against the Miami Dolphins. Why is this significant? It turns out to be a season high, far below the 20-snap max predicted by Ryan in the offseason.

Oct. 8 -- Tim throws! Tim throws! Before a Monday-night TV audience, the Jets actually let him throw a pass from under center. Tebow unleashes a beauty, a perfectly thrown deep pass -- and Jason Hill drops it.

Oct. 10 -- The boss strikes again. In another TV interview, Johnson says he expects Tebow to remain with the Jets for the duration of his contract -- through 2014.

Nov. 11 -- Tebow suffers a fractured rib in an ugly loss to the Seahawks -- except the team doesn’t disclose it until 11 days later. Tebow misses his first (and only) chance to score a touchdown, but his big moment is ruined by a penalty.

Nov. 22 -- The first of many questionable quarterback decisions by Ryan. Tebow dresses but doesn’t play in a Thanksgiving night loss to the New England Patriots. (Remember the Butt Fumble?) Afterward, Tebow reveals the rib injury.

Dec. 2 -- Ryan finally decides to pull the slumping Mark Sanchez, but it occurs on a day in which Tebow is inactive. Greg McElroy saves the day against the Arizona Cardinals.

Dec. 9 -- Another head scratcher by Ryan: Tebow still isn’t 100 percent, but he’s the No. 2 quarterback and McElroy is inactive against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s a homecoming game for Tebow, who doesn’t see the field.

Dec. 17 -- On a Monday-night stage, the quarterback situation changes dramatically, perhaps forever. With an outside chance to make the playoffs, Sanchez (five turnovers) plays the worst game of his career -- but Ryan refuses to play Tebow for more than six snaps.

Dec. 18 -- Ryan announces a quarterback change, naming McElroy -- not Tebow -- the new starter. The next day, a clearly miffed Tebow expresses his disappointment. ESPNNewYork.com is the first to report the Jets will part ways after the season.

Dec. 23 -- This is rock bottom for Tebow, who is removed from the Wildcat package in favor of WR Jeremy Kerley. The Jets are tight-lipped, but ESPNNewYork.com reports that Tebow, frustrated with his role, told Ryan he didn’t want to be used in the Wildcat package.

Dec. 30 -- In his final game as a Jet, Tebow plays only one snap in a loss to the Bills. Afterward, he dodges questions about his future. He also refuses to look back, saying, "I’m not going to worry about if I was treated fair."

Jan. 11 -- Retired special teams coach Mike Westhoff, in an interview with a Miami radio station, calls the Tebow situation "an absolute mess."

Jan. 23 -- How’s this for a twist? Johnson tells people that Tebow was "forced" on him by his football staff, according to an ESPNNewYork.com report.

Jan. 28 -- Tannenbaum, fired after the season, takes responsibility for the Tebow trade. He tells ESPNNewYork.com that "it didn’t go as planned."

April 15 -- Tebow reports for the start of the Jets' offseason program, showing up at 6:30 a.m. ET, 90 minutes before the team meeting.

April 29 -- End of the Tebow era. Wearing his workout clothes, Tebow is summoned to GM John Idzik’s office. Idzik and Ryan inform him of his release. Wasting little time, Tebow leaves the building.

Trading to get Tim Tebow was the worst personnel move in the history of the New York Jets.

That's right, the worst. Read the column here.

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