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Now the Jets have two "Hard Knocks" stars at fullback.

Joining incumbent John Conner is former Bengal Fui Vakapuna, who is expected to sign with the Jets, a source confirmed. Vakapuna, a seventh-round pick of the Bengals in 2009, was one of the featured "long shot" players in the 2009 "Hard Knocks" series. The following summer, of course, Conner received considerable air time as a rookie in the Jets' training camp.

Vakapuna has no NFL game experience (he also has spent time with the Colts and Cards), but the Jets wanted to add competition at fullback. Conner didn't light it up in his first season as a starter. Just recently, GM Mike Tannenbaum raised eyebrows when he said Conner was on the team "for now."

Sports Business Journal first reported the Vakapuna agreement.

Just when you thought the Jets were out of the "Hard Knocks" picture ...

The Falcons declined HBO's invitation to be the featured team on this summer's reality series, ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas reported Saturday, meaning the network (and NFL Films) could come knocking again on the Jets' door.

The Jets have sent out mixed signals on "Hard Knocks." Owner Woody Johnson said recently he'd consider it if a formal offer was made, but Rex Ryan appears to have no interest in reprising their starring role from 2010.

"If we're asked, we'll talk about it," Ryan said Monday on a conference call with reporters, dancing around the question.

Clearly, the Jets are divided. If there was unanimous interest, HBO probably never would've approached the Falcons. The Jaguars want to do it, and the 49ers and Ravens -- coached by the Harbaugh brothers -- also are being considered, ESPN.com reported.

ESPNNewYork.com first reported HBO's offer to the Falcons.

"Hard Knocks" 2.0?

Owner Woody Johnson told reporters Monday the Jets would consider another appearance on the HBO series "Hard Knocks" if they receive a formal offer from the network. Johnson, speaking at a launch for an NFL pop-up store in Manhattan, suggested informal talks already have taken place.

Obviously, HBO would love to have the Jets, who would set a ratings record with all their personalities and storylines. Advice to the Jets: Don't do it.

You could argue that their training camp, with Tim Tebow on board, already will be a circus, so what's a few extra cameras? That's certainly one way to look at it. Obviously, they're willing to live with Tebow-mania. It will bring them all the exposure they could desire, so what would be the benefit of "Hard Knocks"? It would simply show they're publicity mongers, not a franchise focused on winning.

In retrospect, the 2010 "Hard Knocks" series did wonders for the Jets. It increased their national profile, which probably led to more prime-time games. It was good for business. Once was enough. There will be plenty of headlines this summer; the Jets need to focus on the business of winning football games.

Sunday notes on the Jets and from around the NFL:

• PLAYING MUSICAL RECEIVERS. Few, if any, positions in the NFL have created more buzz this offseason than the Jets' wide-receiver situation. With Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and Brad Smith set to be free agents, and with big names like Randy Moss, Plaxico Burress and Terrell Owens on the market (and maybe Chad Ochocinco and Steve Smith), the rumor mill is churning.

This much I can tell you: If the Jets lose Edwards and/or Holmes, they will take a look at the aforementioned players. There have been many conflicting media reports about Moss, but I don't think the Jets have ruled him out. Frankly, I think it would be a mistake to add Moss, but there is backburner interest. Ditto, Burress.

• THE RETURN OF BIG D? Former Jets RT Damien Woody, released in late February, remains on the Jets' radar screen. The feeling close to the team is that Woody, 33, is likely to re-sign at some point, according to a source -- assuming there's a season to come back to. Naturally, he'd return at a salary less than the $3.35 million he was supposed to make. Of course, it would depend on his surgically-repaired Achilles' tendon; he's said to be progressing nicely.

Woody is benefitting from the lockout because the player tabbed to replace him, the inexperienced Vladimir Ducasse, is missing valuable minicamps and OTA practices. If Ducasse doesn't light it up in training camp, the Jets can re-sign Woody as a quick fix and/or insurance policy. And that would be a smart move.

• FOOTNOTE: Patriots WR Wes Welker, who tweaked Rex Ryan with about a dozen foot references in a news conference during the run-up to the AFC divisional playoff game, discussed his meeting at the Pro Bowl with the Jets' coach.

"I apologized and he was a good sport about it, and everything like that," Welker said, per Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. " ... I bought him a beer. He's a good man. Great coach, obviously."

• ROLL TIDE. Former Jets DL Marty Lyons is heading to Alabama Sunday for his alma mater's annual charity golf tournament, and this promises to be a homecoming like he's never experienced before. Lyons, who played for the Crimson Tide's national-championship team in 1978, has seen pictures and video of the tornado devastation in Tuscaloosa, but now he'll see it first hand. He's planning to walk the campus Sunday night.

Lyons said Alberta City, where he used to stay with the team the night before home games, is "completely gone. The tornado wiped out Alberta City. That's hard to believe." From talking to friends in the area, Lyons said the entire state has bonded together to rebuild the region. Yes, Alabama and Auburn fans -- usually bitter rivals -- have joined forces.

"It doesn't even matter if you're from Alabama or Auburn, everybody is trying to come to grips with the same tragedy," said Lyons, who was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame this past week. "It's kind of like New York after 9/11. Everyone has gathered together."

• RETURN ENGAGEMENT. Reporters never got a chance to talk to DE Shaun Ellis on "baggie" day because he cleaned out his locker and bolted, but the longest-tenured Jet has told friends that he'd like to return. Like Woody, Ellis' veteran experience will be key because of the lockout.

• TOUGH ENCORE. The Jets apparently are a tough act to follow on HBO's "Hard Knocks." The Bucs, Broncos and Lions reportedly have turned down invitations to appear this summer on the reality series. That's understandable, considering the lockout. If there is training camp, or an abbreviated version, teams will have to be ultra-focused to make up for lost time. "Hard Knocks" would be a distraction. The Jets handled it because of Ryan's dominating personality and because it was a veteran team that knew how to deal with the distraction. But the guess here is that they might have turned it down, too, if it had been a post-lockout camp.

• MANN UP, ELI. Intrepid Giants beat writers show up every day to Hoboken (N.J.) High to watch the Eli Manning passing academy, hoping to get a few quotes from the QB. No such luck. He's usually cooperative during the season, but Manning has been dodging reporters. He has mastered the art of saying nothing even when he speaks, so would it hurt anyone to give a few vanilla quotes on the workouts and the labor situation? Maybe, because brother Peyton is one of the plaintiffs in the so-called Brady suit against the NFL, Eli wants to avoid comment. But he also has a responsibility as the face of the franchise to be a spokesman in times like these.

They're at it again, Rex Ryan and Tony Dungy. This time, Dungy wasn't criticizing Ryan's mouth, but rather his defensive philosophy.

The former Indianapolis Colts coach, now an NBC studio analyst, said on the air Sunday that the Colts would've preferred the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round but will happily take the Jets because of the similar defensive philosophy.

"They would have enjoyed the Ravens because they’ve beat them eight times in a row," Dungy said. "But it’s really the same type of situation for Peyton Manning, these blitzing defenses where you’ve got to make good decisions. I don’t think you can beat Peyton Manning with a defense that’s just trying to fool you.”

In fact, Dungy is correct. Manning is 5-1 versus Ryan-coached defense, including four games against the Ravens. Told of Dungy's comments, Ryan couldn't resist a jab.

"When you get out there (in the media), you’ve got all the answers, but you don't have to play anymore," Ryan said. "I respect everybody's opinion, but the only one I care about is my own."

You may recall that Ryan and Dungy had a back-and-forth over the summer. It started when Dungy, on a radio show, criticized Ryan for his use profanity in the HBO reality series, "Hard Knocks." Ryan fired back, saying Dungy didn't know him well enough to make a comment like that. Ryan invited Dungy to visit with him at his office. Dungy eventually took him up on the offer, but it wasn't until Sept. 25, on the eve of the Jets-Dolphins game -- an NBC telecast.

In case you're wondering, the Jets did a lot of blitzing against Manning in last season's AFC Championship Game. In fact, they sent more than four rushers on 26 dropbacks. Unofficially, here's a breakdown of the Jets' pass rushes in that game, and how Manning fared:

3-man rush (1) -- 1-for-1, 22 yards
4-man rush (14) -- 8-for-14, 82 yards, 1 TD
5-man rush (13) -- 9-for-12, 179 yards, 1 TD, 1 sack
6-man rush (9) -- 6-for-9, 80 yards, 1 TD
7-man rush (4) -- 1-for-3, 10 yards, 1 sack

The Jets' most prolific pass rushers in that game:

Calvin Pace -- 38 rushes (1 QB hit)
Bryan Thomas -- 34
Shaun Ellis -- 26
Marques Douglas -- 19
David Harris -- 18 (2 sacks)
James Ihedigbo -- 18 (2 QB hits)

In the current issue of Sports Illustrated, there's a survery of NFL players, based on the following question: For which other coach would you like to play for?

The winner, in a landslide, is Rex Ryan of the New York Jets. A total of 279 players were polled from across the league, and Ryan received nearly one quarter of the votes. Here's the breakdown:

Ryan, 21%
Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers), 12%
Sean Payton (New Orleans Saints), 9%
Jeff Fisher (Tennessee Titans), 8%
Bill Belichick (New England Patriots), 7%

Let's call it the Rex Effect. He turns off a lot of opponents because of his extreme confidence and big-talking style, but he also commands respect because of ... well, his extreme confidence and big-talking style. Players like him because he's fearless and speaks their language. He also doesn't run a boot camp; he tries to pace players through a season by allowing their bodies to rest. Not all coaches are like that. (See Belichick).

Evidently, HBO's "Hard Knocks" had the desired effect, with Ryan's popularity soaring. If nothing else, that should help the Jets' recruiting in free agency.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- It happened in Week 4, when Rex Ryan decided that defensive coordinator Mike Pettine had a particularly good feel for the opponent, the Buffalo Bills. He let Pettine call the defensive plays that week. Since then, Pettine has been calling a significant amount of plays from his perch in the coaches' box.

Pettine, commenting Thursday for the first time on his promotion, tried to downplay it, claiming, "I don't want this to be overblown." He said most of the calls are pre-determined, based on down-and-distance and personnel grouping, adding that it's often a matter of him or Ryan simply reading the call off their play sheet.

That, of course, is an over-simplification. There are times when decisions need to be made in an instant.

"When there's a critical situation, there's always that interaction on the headset -- what we like, what we don't like," Pettine said. "People laugh at us. They say we're like brothers on the headset, getting after each other. People might be willing to pay to listen to us. It's like a reality show sometimes. ("Hard Knocks," anyone?) But at the end of the game, we forget half the things we said to each other or called each other."

As much as Pettine tries to downplay it, this still is newsworthy stuff. Ryan made his bones in the league as an outstanding play caller, and now he has ceded some of that responsibility to Pettine, whom he believes will be a head coach one day. Pettine has big shoes to fill.

Two different media outlets, FoxSports and Sports Illustrated, are claiming/reporting that New York Jets coach Rex Ryan wanted to bench embattled WR Braylon Edwards for only one play, but that he was over-ruled by management. As you know, Edwards, arrested last Tuesday for drunk driving, sat the entire first quarter Sunday night in Miami. On Monday, Ryan insisted he had no problem with the decision.

"I don't know where that came from," Ryan said. "That wasn't the case at all."

Ryan said he was the first to recommend the one-quarter benching to management. Hmm, something isn't adding up. If everybody was on board with the decision, why did it take until Saturday/Sunday to finalize?

In a related matter, Ryan commented on a recently-published stat that says the Jets have the fewest arrests in the AFC East since January, 2009. Is that what it's come to, keeping stats on arrests?

"It's interesting that that stat came out," Ryan said. "That's good, because we have a lot of character in this team. I think one of the reasons I did "Hard Knocks" is I wanted people to see the men we have on our football team. I'm not saying we're perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but we do try to be perfect off the field."

According to SI.com, here's how the division shapes up in terms of the police blotter (arrests since January, 2009):

Miami Dolphins -- 6
Buffalo Bills -- 5
New England Patriots -- 1
New York Jets -- 1

"It's embarrassing to me that we had an arrest," Ryan said. "There's no question. I'm not picking on Braylon. The other thing is, the guys know that I support them. We're not going to turn our back on players."

The New York Jets have four outside linebackers on the roster, and three of them are dealing with injuries -- Jason Taylor (elbow), Calvin Pace (foot) and backup Jamaal Westerman, who sprained an ankle and tweaked a hamstring in Sunday night's 31-23 win over the Miami Dolphins.

Taylor, of course, played -- and recorded his second sack of the season. Pace, four weeks removed from foot surgery, may return to practice this week. Rex Ryan said he's hopeful that Pace will be able to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. He didn't sound optimistic about Westerman, a special teams player.

"He kind of has an ankle injury," Ryan said. "I don't want to say a high-ankle sprain, but there's definitely something there. I think he tweaked a hamstring and had an ankle, so he's beat up a little bit. Hopefully, if Calvin comes back, we'll give (Westerman) a week off. I think he's definitely questionable for this week, maybe doubtful."

If Pace doesn't return, they will use DE Vernon Gholston as the No. 3 OLB, behind Taylor and Bryan Thomas. Ryan said he's not planning to add a linebacker to the roster. So hold the Adalius Thomas rumors.

Other notes:

• Backup OT/TE Wayne Hunter (bruised shin) doesn't seem to be improving. He could miss his second straight game.

• RB Shonn Greene appeared hobbled late in the game, but it doesn't appear to be anything serious. Said Ryan: "I believe he's fine, and I'm basing that on the way he danced after the game. He looked OK to me."

• Eric Smith credited teammate Brad Smith for his blocked punt. He said the Dolphins' tackle moved quickly to account for Smith, creating a lane for him to the punter. It was the second blocked punt of Smith's career.

• In the last two games, TE Dustin Keller has 13 catches for 213 yards and three touchdowns. He has emerged as Mark Sanchez' security blanket.

"I'd like to think so, but we have so many different weapons on the field that a lot of times it seems like he doesn't even need a security blanket," he said. "It seems like Braylon (Edwards) is open every time, Jerricho (Cotchery) is open every time..."

• Ryan on his meeting last Saturday with Tony Dungy, who was critical of the coach's profanity in the "Hard Knocks" TV show: "We had a great conversation ... I was happy that he came and took advantage (of the invitation). I wanted him to come in and be around our players, be around our coaches. I know he was impressed."

In a taped interview with NBC's Bob Costas that will air during Sunday night's pre-game show, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan said he's "tired of" being viewed as an undisciplined, trouble-making team.

"No, I’m not concerned about how I’m viewed," Ryan said, in remarks released by NBC. "We have so many positive things in our locker room. We’re a team that, we think, we have a chance to do something special here … I’m tired of really being looked at as that kind of team."

Asked how he retains a rollicking atmosphere while eliminating off-the-field issues, Ryan replied, "We’ve got to be ourselves, number one. And learn from the mistakes that have been made by others. Unfortunately Braylon (Edwards) made a big mistake. Thank goodness it wasn’t more severe than it was. But, hopefully, we all learn from it, not just one man but everybody in the locker room, coaches included, learn from this."

On Saturday, Ryan met with NBC's Tony Dungy, who was critical of his heavy use of profanity during the "Hard Knocks" series. Dungy didn't interview Ryan on camera, but will report on the pre-game show what he and Ryan talked about.

Tom Brady refused to use the "H" word Wednesday. That's "H" as in "Hate," as in, "I hate the Jets." Remember, that's what he said a few weeks ago when asked if he was watching the Jets on "Hard Knocks."

This time, the New England Patriots' quarterback refused to bite.

"I will say I have respect for the Jets because they play extremely hard and they are very well-coached," he said, adding, "I don't think there are a lot of Boston people who like New York people. The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry goes back a long ways. Over the years, there have been very competitive football games played between the two of us."

Brady was asked if he heard about all the talk coming from the Jets in the preseason.

"How can you not hear it? Of course we hear it," he said. "We just go about our business a different way, and a way that has worked for us. We typically don't say much. And when we do, we get yelled at pretty good (by Bill Belichick). That doesn't seem that's the program the Jets are on. That's the way it is."

Brady added: "What wins games is preparation and work and commitment and being on the same page with your teammates. That's why you win games. I can really make all the predictions in the world, but I got to go out there and play. That's what's important to us."

UPDATE: Strange, but true -- Brady actually tossed a compliment to Jets fans. For real.

“The road environment is very different than our friendly home crowd, who when I looked up, half the stadium was gone when we were up 21 points early fourth quarter, which I wasn’t so happy about,” Brady said Wednesday in Foxborough. “I don’t think the Jets fans leave early. They’re going to be loud the whole game. Communication is always an issue.”

Yes, he watched. But it was just a peek.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick admitted Wednesday that he watched "Hard Knocks" over the summer. Belichick, speaking to the New York media via conference call, said he "caught a very little bit of it." But there's no doubt he assigned a member of his staff to watch and report back to him with any useful information.

Belichick didn't deny he can use a show like "Hard Knocks," among other sources, while preparing for an opponent.

"I think the best thing for us is to just do a good job with our preparation and there are always little things you can learn from all different sources, whatever they happen to be -- players who change teams, coaches, TV shows, whatever," he said. "In the end, it comes down to playing good football, doing your
job and being able to execute the plays better than your opponent. I think where this game is going to be won and lost is out on the field with the execution of the players as opposed to watching reality TV football."

After a one-day break, the New York Jets returned to the practice field Wednesday to begin preparation for the New England Patriots.

On the injury front, S Brodney Pool (sprained out), who missed the opener, participated at the outset. If he's a full participant -- we'll get a practice report afterward -- it'll be the first full practice for him since getting hurt in the third pre-season game.

LB Calvin Pace (foot surgery) was nowhere to be found. Clearly, he's not ready to play this week. This will be his third week out of action. The Jets are holding out hope he can play next week in Miami.

The two newest Jets, DT Howard Green and WR David Clowney, were on the field, practicing. Braylon Edwards was razzing Clowney, asking if he lost some speed during his layoff. Clowney was a victim of the final cutdown.

It will be interesting to get special teams coach Mike Westhoff's take on Clowney's return. Westhoff, critical of Clowney throughout the "Hard Knocks" series, ripped him last week in a Q & A with beat writers. In that session, Westhoff said he wanted to cut Clowney two years ago.

Clowney's return is a sign that the Jets want more vertical speed on offense. On Tuesday, Rex Ryan said he wanted to stretch the field with more deep passes. If Clowney has a forte, it's as a deep threat.

Throughout the "Hard Knocks" experience, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan said he had no problem with other teams having a behind-the-scenes view of the team's inner sanctum. He saw it as a positive, letting the world get to know what the Jets are all about.

In the process, it may have helped their first opponent, the Baltimore Ravens. Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, quoted Friday in the "Ravens Report," said he picked up some nuggets on the Jets from watching the show.

"Yeah, there was probably a lot revealed in that strategically, the way I viewed it," Cameron said. "At least what we were jotting down. There was a lot of stuff in there, strategically."

Earlier in the preseason, ESPNNewYork.com talked to NFL scouts who were stunned (and pleased) that the Jets' entire depth chart, complete with roster projections, appeared on the TV show. Anybody with a DVR was able to pick up most of the depth chart, with a breakdown on how many players they planned to keep at each position.

"Hard Knocks" definitely generated a ton of buzz for the Jets, but there are potential downsides as well.

When the New York Jets drafted Kyle Wilson in the first round, they talked up his ability as a dynamic punt returner. In the preseason, he returned exactly zero punts. But they're going to unveil him Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens, adding another juicy subplot to the season opener.

Wilson will share the punt-returning duties with old reliable, Jim Leonhard, special teams coordinator/"Hard Knocks" star Mike Westhoff said Friday. Westhoff wouldn't say how they'll be used -- top secret -- but it's safe to assume it will be based on situations. For instance, if the Ravens are punting from "plus" territory (on the Jets' side of the 50), it might be the sure-handed Leonhard. You don't want to be muffing punts near your own goal line.

This is a tough spot for Wilson, who didn't get a shot in the preseason because his role on defense expanded with the absence of Darrelle Revis. The coaches didn't want to burden him with too much responsibility. Now, imagine playing your first professional game on Monday Night Football and being asked to return punts for the first time in the NFL. Westhoff knows the deal, but he has total confidence in Wilson, who brings the home-run element into the equation.

"If he had been our guy in the preseason," Westhoff said, "we'd have three touchdowns."

In his career at Boise State, Wilson averaged 12.6 yards and scored three touchdowns on punt returns.

Other notes from a busy day in Florham Park:

• Speaking of special teams, the "flyers" on coverage units will be Marquice Cole and Drew Coleman or Dwight Lowery. The Jets had hoped David Clowney would grab one of the spots, but he lost the job and was released. Westhoff said that, if it were up to him, he would've cut Clowney two years ago.

• Revis, after three practices, pronounced himself fit and ready to play. Said Revis, who missed 36 days because of his holdout: "I'm 100%, I know the game plan, I'm ready to go." Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said Revis reported in "surprisingly good shape."

• S Brodney Pool (sprained ankle) returned to practice on a limited basis, but he's still a long shot to play. It seems like the coaches are prepared to err on the side of caution. Eric Smith would get the start, but he won't be an every-down player. The coaches don't want to over-work him, hurting his ability to contribute on special teams. He could be spelled by James Ihedigbo or Lowery at safety.

• Rex Ryan wasn't satisfied with the passing game in Friday's practice, saying "we need to get (it) dialed in a little more." Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said there were some communication problems with regard to shifts and motions, but he raved about QB Mark Sanchez. Schottenheimer: "It was truly one of Mark's best practices since he's been here."

• For what it's worth, Shonn Greene will start at running back, not LaDainian Tomlinson, according to Ryan. In the end, he suspects they'll have about the same amount of plays. Playing time will be determined by situations and personnel groupings. Much of it will be determined by "the hot hand, kind of like a reward system," Schottenheimer said. Greene expects to be a factor late in the game, saying, "The fourth quarter. That's when I'll be most valuable. That's when our offensive line will start to wear them down."

• Westhoff, one of the featured characters on "Hard Knocks," on his celebrity status: "I'd rather be a celebrity on Tuesday morning."