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We interrupt Tebow-mania to bring you the Jets' starting quarterback, Mark Sanchez, who chatted with reporters Thursday after an OTA session. Some of the highlights of that conversation:

• On whether he feels differently on the field with everyone watching him and Tim Tebow: "I don’t really think about it while we’re playing. No offense to Tim, I’m not really thinking about Tim. I’m thinking about the play we have, the protection we have, what potential blitz we’re going to get and making sure everybody’s lined up in the right spot. So, my mind is racing a million miles an hour. I feel good, I feel like the system is coming along and nothing's really changed that way, I’m focused on football."

• On whether the offseason feels more competitive with Tebow here: "I put a lot of pressure on myself. I think you guys know that. Everybody in the building knows that, that I want to make it right for me and this team. Whether we have Matt Simms, or (G.J.) Kinne, or (Greg) McElroy, or if it happens to be Tim Tebow behind me, that’s fine. It doesn’t matter. I’m playing hard and trying to get this thing right for all of us in here."

• On what experiences he can draw from over his last three seasons to help him overcome the scrutiny because of Tebow being here: "It’s a new experience, but like you said, I’ve got plenty to draw on. The highs and lows of a season ... understanding that this thing is a marathon, not a race ... don’t get caught up in who completed what ball and who didn’t. Don’t even let your mind go there. It’s not worth the time, it’s a waste. Just focus on the next play, have a short memory and keep playing. Be the leader this team needs."

• First impressions of rookie WR Stephen Hill: "He’s a great player. He’s always got a smile. He’s one of those guys who loves coming in the building, and loves to learn. He’s a big, strong, fast kid. He’s a sponge, which is exactly what you want from a young guy like that."

• On new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano: "He doesn’t smile too often. If you catch one, you better save it. They’re few and far between. Sometimes it’s not a smile, it’s a smirk. You never know. But he’s tough on us, he’s fair, he’s an old-school guy and he wants things done right and that’s exactly what we need."

• On looking to Eli Manning for inspiration because he is in the same city: "I look at that as kudos to him for doing a great job and thriving under that pressure. Look where he’s at today, two Super Bowl rings and he’s on the top of the world and doing a great job and he deserves it. He’s put in a lot of hard work so you look at it and admire it. That’s a guy who really did a good job."

• On whether he’s tired of answering questions about Tebow: "It's only OTAs." (Smiling.)

Observations on OTA No. 3 (the first session open to the media):

1. Yes, Mark Sanchez outplayed Tim Tebow. So what? It's only May, and it's only OTAs. In the big picture, this means very little. It's almost laughable how some have jumped to conclusions. Chill, people. Frankly, Sanchez should outplay Tebow because he's a better thrower of the football and, with no live pass rush, that's all they're doing -- throwing.

2. There were some dropsies in the early portion of team drills. WR Jeremy Kerley let a well-thrown Sanchez pass sail through his hands, rookie WR Stephen Hill dropped a throw from Sanchez (had plenty of zip on it) and TE Dustin Keller dropped a Tebow pass. Keller rebounded with a diving catch on a Sanchez pass.

3. The play of the day was an 80-yard pass from Sanchez to Hill. The second-round pick got past CB Kyle Wilson on a fly pattern and turned on the jets. He was wide open and Sanchez hit him in stride. As Rex Ryan noted afterward, the Jets want to emphasize vertical passing this season. That's the Tony Sparano philosophy: Hammer them with the running game and hit 'em deep on play-action.

4. RB Shonn Greene is listed at 226 pounds, but it looks like he dropped a few. He ran with a little extra giddy-up. I even saw a little something out of Bilal Powell. Yeah, Powell.

5. The defense, which has three-plus years in Ryan's system, is way ahead of the offense, which is just learning Sparano's scheme. RG Brandon Moore noted how the defense showed a few wrinkles, including a "Bear" front and third-down pressures, forcing the offense to react quickly. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't. On a couple of plays, Tebow was scrambling around the backfield, looking to escape an unblocked rusher.

6. You'd better be prepared for a summer-long battle, Nick Folk. Recently signed PK Josh Brown impressed at the end of practice, nailing five of six FGAs. His only miss came from 45 yards.

7. No doubt, LB Bart Scott, 12 pounds lighter than last season, is moving better in coverage. He made a nice interception on a Tebow pass.

8. Sparano is big on tempo. In practice, he's always preaching the offense to pick up the pace. You don't want to be the guy who slows down the rest of the group.

When Tim Tebow walked into the locker room Thursday, with a crowd of reporters already camped out at his locker, his teammates sensed the moment -- a massive scrum/news conference -- and sounded off.

"Te-bow! Te-bow!" several players chanted.

A couple of players were creative and yelled out, "Lo-lo! Lo-lo!" That was a reference to U.S. hurdler Lolo Jones, who recently told HBO's "Real Sports" that she doesn't believe in premarital sex. Tebow, a devout Christian, shares that sentiment.

That the players razz Tebow shows they like him. As Tebow said, "If they didn't, then it means they didn't care. It is awesome, because they give me a hard time about it and that is great. If they didn't, that is when you have to worry."

Said CB Darrelle Revis: "Guys like to have fun. I hope Tim can handle it." Revis said he tweaked Tebow during practice, telling him after one of his interceptions, "Hey, thanks for throwing a turnover to us."

THINKING OF JIM: Rex Ryan insisted the team hasn't ruled out the possibility of re-signing safety Jim Leonhard, who is recovering from major knee surgery.

"I'm never going to say that," Ryan said.

Ryan's words notwithstanding, Leonhard's return appears to be a long shot, especially since they signed veteran S Yeremiah Bell. Leonhard's best chance might hinge on the health of LaRon Landry (Achilles tendon), who isn't a lock to be ready for training camp.

REX LOVES BART: Ryan offered unsolicited praise of LB Bart Scott, who only two months ago seemed like a goner. Scott has dropped 12 pounds and appears to be re-focused after a disappointing 2011 season. That they drafted his heir apparent, Demario Davis, might have a little something to do with it.

"Bart is ready to be Bart Scott, the guy we brought in here," Ryan said. "Bart would tell you that he had kind of a disappointing year last year, just like I'll tell you I had a disappointing year last year. This whole football team, definitely Bart and I, we want to have a great year this year. I think you see that."

Scott slowed down last season and struggled in pass coverage, and he was eventually removed from sub packages. Ryan noted that, with David Harris (calf) nursing an injury, Scott is working as the "Mike" LB in the sub package.

Wait, weren't they ready to trade this guy?

TAKE THIS PAD AND ...: RG Brandon Moore, a member of the NFLPA executive committee, doesn't think much of the league's new rule to mandate thigh and knee pads in 2013.

"I guess they're worried about thigh bruises and knee contusions ... but I don't know how that's helping player safety -- a thigh bruise," he said, alluding to bigger issues -- i.e. head trauma.

Asked if he thinks it was a PR move by the league, Moore said, "I don't know what it is, but I don't know how it falls in with player safety."

THIS AND THAT: As expected, DE Quinton Coples and WR Stephen Hill, both named rookie starters after the draft, worked with the first team. ... In addition to Scott, Ryan also singled out DE Muhammad Wilkerson as a player "jumping out at me." ... Ryan likes the tempo under new O.C. Tony Sparano. The offense is trying to work at a fast pace.

Tim Tebow said he was vaguely familiar with the story of Chuck Shriner, the Ft. Myers, Fla., high-school student temporarily denied his diploma because he "Tebowed" on stage during his graduation ceremony.

Tebow backed Shriner.

"I don't think his diploma should be withheld," he said. "I think it was probably something a lot of people laughed at. I don't know that it was necessarily appropriate, but I definitely think he should be able to graduate. Let him graduate."

Shriner, a student at Bishop Verot High, received the diploma a couple of days after. His mother, a teacher at the school, apparently didn't like the "Tebowing" demonstration on stage, as she urged the school to withhold the diploma. As punishment, Shriner was required to clean the gym, where the ceremony was held.

WR Santonio Holmes, CB Antonio Cromartie and S LaRon Landry didn't participate in Thursday's OTA session for various reasons.

Holmes was off to Germany on a good-will trip, visiting U.S. troops over the Memorial Day weekend, according to the team. On Wednesday night, he was still in town, as he was spotted at a Red Bulls soccer game in Newark, N.J. In fact, he was shown on the scoreboard -- and promptly booed by the crowd.

Cromartie simply skipped the session to be with his family over the holiday weekend, the team said, stressing the workouts as voluntary. Cromartie and Holmes did participate in the first two OTAs, Monday and Wednesday.

Landry has been a no-show. He has been rehabbing an Achilles-tendon injury from last season, but Rex Ryan wouldn't use the injury as the reason for Landry's absence. He didn't give a reason, although CB Darrelle Revis said Landry is dealing with "family issues."

Ryan didn't sound totally confident that Landry will be ready for training camp.

"He obviously had a significant injury, there is no question about that," Ryan said. "But we're excited to get him up to speed. Hopefully, by training camp, he's ready to go. I'm not sure medically when he'll be cleared."

The Jets improved their safety depth by signing former Dolphin Yeremiah Bell, whom the organization envisions as a starter with Landry. Bell and incumbent Eric Smith worked with the starting unit on Thursday, with Bell intercepting a Tim Tebow pass in 7-on-7s.

Smith will head to the bench at some point, assuming Landry gets healthy, but he has no problems with the addition of Bell. Smith envisions a three-safety rotation of sorts, which he believes will keep him fresher later in games.

INJURY REPORT: LB David Harris (strained calf), LB Bryan Thomas (Achilles tendon) and LG Matt Slauson (shoulder surgery) sat out team drills. No surprise with Thomas and Slauson. Ryan said Harris' injury is minor.

Sal Paolantonio reporting from Florham Park with a first look at Tim Tebow taking the field with the Jets.

The Jets already have two OTA practices in the books, and the third -- Thursday -- is open to the media. On the agenda in Florham Park:

• 10 a.m. to noon -- Practice

• Noon to 1 p.m. (approx.) -- Player availability in the locker room

• 2:45 p.m. to 3:05 p.m. -- Rex Ryan news conference

Three stories we'll be following:

1. Tim Tebow: What, you expected something on the fullback situation? This will be our first glimpse at backup QB on the practice field. He's expected to work exclusively at quarterback, with no wildcat plays. They want to get him assimilitated into Tony Sparano's offense by teaching him the QB position before they branch out. Tebow isn't known as a terrific practice thrower, so there could be some ... um, interesting passes.

2. Mark Sanchez: Remember him? He's still the starting QB, after all. Sanchez also is learning the new offense, so these OTA practices are important to him, too. This is the first time since he's been the starter that he has legitimate competition, and he'll have a no-nonsense coordinator -- Sparano -- bellowing in his ear. The coddled days are over.

3. New faces: The key newcomers are rookie DE Quinton Coples, rookie WR Stephen Hill, veteran S Yeremiah Bell, and WR Chaz Schilens. S LaRon Landry (foot) belongs on the list, but he's still rehabbing an old injury.

Early in his career, Bryan Thomas used the tease the old guys on the team, players like Vinny Testaverde, Mo Lewis and Marvin Jones. Now Thomas it getting is thrown back at him because he's the old guy -- 33 on June 7. He was drafted in 2002, making him the longest-tenured Jet.

And he doesn't mind the razzing one bit; the grizzled outside linebacker is just glad to be here. After tearing an Achilles' tendon last season in Week 4, Thomas wondered if he'd be back, especially since he was in the final year of his contract. But the Jets stepped up in March, signing him to a one-year, $990,000 contract, more than half of which is guaranteed.

"The organization has been wonderful," Thomas said last week during an open locker room. "For them to re-sign me in this situation, I was truly grateful. They could've said, 'Go.'"

Thomas said he was so down after the injury that it took him a few weeks before he started showing up to the locker room. As he said, "I didn't want the rest of the team to see me down ... That was a difficult time, really, really tough."

Thomas is one of those blue-collar guys that every team needs on defense. He sets the edge on running plays, takes on blockers so others can make plays, transitions easily between two- and three-point stances, slides inside on certain packages ... well, you get the idea. The Jets really missed him last season.

The question is, what can they expect out of him in 2012? The average recovery time is about nine months, which is right about now for Thomas. As of last week, he still wasn't running full speed, but his "No. 1 goal" is to be 100 percent by training camp in late July. His age could complicate matters; you don't see too many 33-year-old linebackers coming off Achilles-tendon surgery.

The Jets need him, no doubt. Their only proven, every-down outside linebacker is Calvin Pace. Pass-rushing specialist Aaron Maybin hopes to develop into that kind of player, but he's not big enough to hold up against the run -- even after gaining a few pounds. Thomas can have his old job back ... if he's up to it.

Anybody can formulate power rankings, but it takes vision to rank teams three years into the future.

But that is precisely what we have here, as ESPN analysts Trent Dilfer, Mel Kiper, Gary Horton and Matt Williamson put their crystal balls together to predict the NFL in 2015.

Our four experts ranked the 32 teams, basing their evaluations on five categories -- roster, quarterback, draft, coaching and front office. The Jets are ranked No. 16. Here's Dilfer's take on the quarterback situation:

"I still love the potential and talent of Mark Sanchez, but this situation is bordering on toxic. He doesn't have elite talent to throw to, and the offense won't show off a QB's skills. It's do-or-die time in New York, though he could still succeed elsewhere."

Click here to read the entire Insider article.

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.

The signing of former Dolphins S Yeremiah Bell has fueled debate on whether the Jets are leaving themselves vulnerable because they have too many "in-the-box" safeties and no "coverage" safeties. Bell and LaRon Landry are the projected starters, with Eric Smith coming off the bench.

Statistically, there's reason to be concerned, as Bell and Smith were among the worst in the league last season in pass coverage, according to the stats-based web site ProFootballFocus.com. Landry never has been known for his coverage skills, and now he's coming off an Achilles'-tendon injury.

Here's a statistical breakdown by PFF, including safeties that played at least 25 percent of their team's defensive snaps (87 qualifiers):

The Jets began their OTAs Monday with an expected absence: S LaRon Landry didn't show up for the voluntary session, a league source confirmed.

Landry, whom the Jets signed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract in March, still is rehabbing from an Achilles' tendon injury he suffered last season with the Redskins. He didn't have surgery, but he's on a long rehab program. The Jets have said they expect him to be ready for the regular season opener, although GM Mike Tannenbaum admitted it would be a "challenge."

Landry has been scarce around the Jets' facility over the last few weeks. In Washington, he was known to skip the offseason program, preferring to work out on his own.

Monday's practice was closed to the media. The first open OTA is Thursday. The Star-Ledger of Newark first reported Landry's absence.

For the second training camp in a row, the Jets will have a player coming from prison. A year ago, it was Plaxico Burress. This summer it will be second-year NT Kenrick Ellis, who will report to a Hampton, Va., jail on June 15 to serve a minimum of 45 days.

Ellis' legal issues, which came under the glare of the New York spotlight when he was drafted 13 months ago, finally got resolved Monday in a Hampton court room. A judge accepted a plea bargain, from felony malicious wounding to misdemeanor assault and battery, and imposed the previously arranged sentence -- 179 days in jail, with 89 suspended. With good behavior, he'll be out in 45 days, according to his attorney.

This worked out rather conveniently for the Jets and Ellis, whose attorney was able to negotiate the timing of the sentence. He won't miss any OTAs or minicamp, which ends June 14, and he'll miss only a few days of training camp. From a football standpoint, he'll be behind in conditioning, but it could've been a lot worse. From a real-life standpoint, it's six weeks behind bars for Ellis, who also got slapped with a $3 million civil suit by the victim.

The Jets took a lot of heat for drafting Ellis, who was looking at five to 20 years in prison at the time. They were desperate for a nose tackle and felt Ellis, despite his legal woes, was worth the gamble. This is what GM Mike Tannenbaum said after picking him: "Maybe his risk is more than others, but if we didn’t feel he’d be successful here, we wouldn’t have taken him."

The Jets probably are breathing a sigh of relief because, take my word for it, Ellis' situation caused a lot of angst within the organization. His situation was complicated by the fact that he's not a U.S. citizen -- he was born in Jamaica -- and a felony assault conviction for a non-citizen means deportation, based on immigration law.

But the Jets shouldn't feel any vindication here. A crime was committed and a player -- one of their players -- is going to prison. That's never a good thing. Tannenbaum & Co. still have to answer for Ellis, who, coming off a disappointing rookie year, still hasn't come close to validating his third-round status.

Notes and observations on the Jets and the NFL:

1. MARKED MAN: This notion that the Jets are setting up Mark Sanchez to fail because they want Tim Tebow to be the starting quarterback is total bunk. (One talking head actually suggested "the fix is in.") To paraphrase Wes Welker, the Jets have 20 million reasons to root for Sanchez -- the $20.5 million he's guaranteed in 2012 and 2013. Like they say in the old mob movies, just follow the money. That's how it works in professional sports. Why would the Jets want Sanchez, the handpicked QB of Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum, to crash and burn? Yeah, the coaches and players are talking up Tebow (Darrelle Revis was in full gush), but it's just hot air in May. Here's the thing about players: They'll back whichever QB gives them the best chance to win. Right now, that's Sanchez. The organization hopes it stays that way.

2. DECISIONS, DECISIONS: QBs coach Matt Cavanaugh, in an interview with the New York Daily News, said most of Sanchez's 18 interceptions last season resulted from poor decisions. No kidding. Check out this stat: Over the last three seasons, Sanchez has thrown 38 interceptions when facing four or fewer rushers, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The bloated total, tied with Drew Brees for most in the league, suggests that, yes, he makes bad decisions when opponents use a standard rush and drop at least seven into coverage. By the way, Brees has 62 more TD passes than Sanchez against such pressure.

3. RINGING THE BELL: The Jets envision newly-signed safety Yeremiah Bell as a starter, meaning a Bell-LaRon Landry safety tandem. Here's the concern with that pairing: Both players are new to Ryan's defensive system, which is mentally challenging for the safeties. You need a cerebral player back there to make calls, and you could have the blind leading the blind with Bell and Landry. That's why Jim Leonhard was always so valuable; he knew how to get everybody lined up.

4. RUN, JOEY, RUN: Joey Clinkscales decided to leave his post as the head of college scouting, in part, because he was frustrated he wasn't given a bigger say on draft picks, according to a league source. He let his contract expire and took a job as the Raiders' director of player personnel -- maybe not a lateral move, but not a significant advancement, either. I hear the Jets, perhaps trying to convince him to stay, gave him a bigger say in the recent draft. Obviously, that didn't do the trick.

5. THE NEW GUY: The Jets hired Midwest scout Jeff Bauer to replace Clinkscales. Interesting background: He was a high-school coach in the Kansas City area and his backup QB was Mike Bradway, son of then-Chiefs executive Terry Bradway, according to the Des Moines Register. Bauer and the elder Bradway became friendly. A short time later, in 2001, Bradway was hired as the Jets' GM and he wound up hiring Bauer as the Midwest scout. Bradway remains with the Jets as a senior personnel executive. Bauer's glowing scouting report on RB Shonn Greene was one of the reasons why they drafted him in 2009.

6. MY TURN: I see that former Jets punter Steve Weatherford called me out on Twitter, claiming it was out of context to say he "ripped" Sanchez. I like Weatherford -- I wrote a glowing profile of him a few days before the Giants' Super Bowl win -- but this is a classic case of an athlete making a stink about the headline instead of owning up to his quotes below the headline. There's no doubt that Weatherford was critical of Sanchez's maturity level. That's the real story, not the headline.

7. MARSHALL PLAN: Because of Tony Sparano's background with the Dolphins, the Jets have been watching some Miami tape in an effort to learn his system. Rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill has spent a lot of time studying ex-Dolphin Brandon Marshall, another big-bodied wideout. Hopefully, Hill doesn't try to emulate Marshall's lack of balance along the sideline.

8. ROGER THAT: I'm dating myself here, but offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo's effusive defense of right tackle Wayne Hunter reminded of a long-ago quote from a long-forgotten Jets assistant. If you didn't catch it, DeGuglielmo said of Hunter, "Until they tell me otherwise, until they ship him out of this building or until they shoot me dead in my office, that sonofagun is going to be the starting right tackle." Back in '87 or '88, running backs coach Bobby Hammond was peppered with questions about the struggling Roger Vick, a No. 1 pick in '87. Hammond got fired up and said he'd "go to my grave" believing Vick would be a top back. That was a swing and a big miss; we're talking a Dave Kingman miss.

9. THE POWER OF BILL: Welker wouldn't make a good agent. He told reporters his contract negotiations have "actually gotten worse," and suddenly there's a story in the Boston Globe saying those comments weren't well-received in the Belichick bunker. So Welker backtracked, saying it was "probably a bad choice of words" and insisting he's happy with his franchise tag. At least he didn't say they were taken out of context; give him credit for that.

10. TALL TALE: 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh told a radio program that Michael Crabtree has "the best hands I've ever seen on a wide receiver." Wow, and they say Rex Ryan is prone to hyperbole.

It didn't take long for the Jets to hire a replacement for Joey Clinkscales, the former vice president of college scouting. They stayed in-house, naming Midwest scout Jeff Bauer as the new director of college scouting, the team announced Friday.

Bauer spent the last 11 seasons with the Jets, scouting the Midwest. That's his only NFL experience. Prior to that, he was a high-school coach. Some in the organization thought Michael Davis, Clinkscales' assistant, would get the job. Basically, the DCS coordinates the scouts and the entire draft.

Clinkscales, whose contract was due to expire, left after the draft to become the Raiders' personnel director.

The Jets also named Kevin Kelly as an area scout. Previously, he worked in the same capacity with the Colts and Browns.