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Let's take a break from Manning mania to address this totally random item:

The Jets are looking for a big, fast target to play opposite WR Santonio Holmes, and there's a big, fast target named Randy Moss looking for a new team. Might the Jets reach into the recycle bin once again? No, this is a marriage that won't happen. The Jets have zero interest in Moss, according to sources. The last thing they want to do is add a high-maintenance player like Moss to a locker room trying to heal after last season's mess.

Moss, out of football last season, is attempting a comeback at the age of 35. He worked out the other day for the Saints and reportedly performed well. Hey, no one ever questioned his physical ability, it's the other stuff that drives teams and coaches crazy. Rex Ryan always has had an affinity for Moss's ability to blow the top off a defense, but he's going to sit this one out.

Former Jets and Dolphins QB Chad Pennington, now an analyst for FOXSports, believes Moss still can be an impact receiver. Pennington has always liked Moss, dating to their record-breaking days together at Marshall.

"He's a phenomenal athlete," Pennington told me. "Randy Moss at 35 is better than most at 25 to 28 years of age. In addition, on top of that, he wants to prove people wrong and prove he can be special again." Asked about Moss' questionable attitude, Pennington said it's no different than that of receivers such as Holmes and Brandon Marshall. They're so competitive, Pennington said, that "sometimes they forget about the team."

In this case, the only thing to forget is Moss to the Jets.

Thoughts and observations on the Jets and other NFL stuff:

1. The Jets chased the most coveted free agent last offseason, ultimately losing CB Nnamdi Asomugha to the Eagles. The No. 1 prize in the upcoming free-agent market is Texans DE/OLB Mario Williams, who could land the richest contract in history for a defensive player. Even though the Jets have a glaring need for a 3-4 OLB, they are expected to sit out the Williams sweepstakes. The primary reason is cap room. As of last week, they had less than $500,000 in projected cap space. They can create room by restructuring bloated contracts and cutting players -- and they probably will -- but they evidently prefer to use the money to address several needs instead of putting all their eggs in the Williams basket.

2. There's also some question about whether Williams can be a 3-4 OLB. He debuted in that role last season, switching to a stand-up position in Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme. He showed promise (five sacks in four-plus games), but it was short-lived because of a torn pectoral muscle. We're talking about only 225 snaps, including just 17 plays in which he dropped into pass coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. The Jets use their OLBs in pass coverage roughly 20 percent of the time, so there would be some adjustment.

3. Of course, the Jets could be saving their money on the off chance that Peyton Manning calls and says, "Hey, Rex, I wanna be a Jet." It's highly unlikely, but ESPN Insider Adam Schefter, in a piece for SportsCenter, lists the Jets among the four likeliest destinations for Manning (assuming he's released by the Colts). He also names the Dolphins, Redskins and Cards, with the Dolphins the current favorite, in his view. Schefter mentions the Jets' tight cap situation and relationship with Mark Sanchez as factors that would prevent them from landing Manning.

4. Imagine if Manning landed in Miami; what a division. The Jets would have to face two of the greatest quarterbacks in history twice a year. Sorry, Bills fans, we're not talking about Ryan Fitzpatrick.

5. The Jets are bucking a leaguewide trend by having an offensive coordinator whose area of expertise is the offensive line. Tony Sparano is one of only four OCs in that category, but he stands alone in this respect: The other three are working for offensive-minded head coaches. They are Rick Dennison (Texans), Hal Hunter (Chargers) and former Jets OL coach Bill Callahan (Cowboys). Sparano works for a defensive-minded coach, meaning he's the "head coach" of the offense. In this air-it-out era, teams prefer coordinators with passing backgrounds -- mostly former QBs and WRs coaches. The Jets are going the other way.

6. Randy Moss to the Jets? Now that would be Linsanity, sans the L.

7. Former New York QBs, Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason, who spoke at a Long Island business luncheon Wednesday, defended Sanchez. Simms believes Sanchez has received unfair criticism from impatient media and fans. He said it's nuts to say Sanchez should be replaced. "When I hear this about Mark Sanchez, it's insane, it really is," Simms said. "It drives me crazy." Esiason said Sanchez has potential for "greatness." Wait a second; this is the same Esiason who recently compared Sanchez's pocket demeanor to that of a nervous chihuahua.

8. In case you're wondering, Santonio Holmes hasn't responded (at least not via twitter) to Sanchez's Valentine request -- not as of Saturday evening, anyway. It was a cute, seemingly all-in-fun gesture by Sanchez, but you have to wonder if Holmes took it the same way. LG Matt Slauson had some fun with it. Slauson, joking with reporters at the WrestleMania announcement the other day, said he was "expecting a card and a big, old stuffed teddy bear" from his QB.

9. On Wednesday, the NFL will converge on Indianapolis for the second time in a month. This time, it's the scouting combine. Media coverage of the combine has grown so much that just about everything is orchestrated by the NFL, which is good and bad. In the old days, things were more relaxed than now. I remember interviewing Bill Belichick in his hotel room during the brief period in 1997 when he was the Jets' HC. Those were the days.

10. I think it's going to be fascinating to see how former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano fares with the Bucs. He's not exactly putting together a "Who's Who" of assisant coaches. Bill Sheridan as defensive coordinator? No doubt, some Giants players are chuckling to themselves.

Thoughts and observations as we finally hit the first Sunday in the NFL:

• Can anyone imagine what it would be like if the lockout still was ongoing? I can't. There's no way the owners and players would've were going to allow their stadiums sit empty, especially on 9-11. The public-relations backlash might have caused irreparable harm.

• I don't think the Jets got worked up at all by Plaxico Burress' comments to "Men's Journal." After all, he made them before he was a Jets employee and most of the criticisms were directed at the Giants, which, of course, the Jets don't mind. But the article does open a window into Burress' post-prison mindset, which could impact the Jets if he decides to speak out again. Burress doesn't appear contrite or humbled, especially with his LeBron James-like remarks. It makes you wonder if the old diva will re-surface if things don't go his way on the field.

• Shonn Greene generated little fanfare during the run-up to Sunday night's opener against the Cowboys, and yet -- other than Mark Sanchez -- I believe he's the key to the Jets' season. If Greene and Sanchez have good years, the Jets could be in the Super Bowl.

• The average age for the Jets' offensive starters is 27.27 years, down from last season's opening-day lineup (28.27). The average age on defense is 28.0, pretty much the same as last year (28.2). The average dropped because they dumped older players such as Shaun Ellis and Damien Woody, and moved LaDainian Tomlinson out of the lineup.

• I think the Jets made a mistake by not acquiring a veteran backup on the offensive line. GM Mike Tannenbaum had more than enough cap room, yet decided to bring in a couple of minimum-salaried rookies, Caleb Schlauderaff and Colin Baxter. They must think Rob Turner is only a few weeks away from returning. Even so, it's a gamble.

• Battle lines are drawn in the McElroy household. Greg is a rookie quarterback on the Jets (on injured reserve) and his father, Greg, is the Cowboys' senior vice president of sales and marketing. I spoke to McElroy before his season-ending thumb injury, and this is what he said about the matchup: "My dad, I don't know where his loyalties will lie. I think he'll be pulling for me individually, but he also has to consider who pays the bills." His dad was expected to attend the game.

• Former Jets QB Chad Pennington told PFT Live that he has a "sneaking suspicion" that the retired Randy Moss, his old college teammate at Marshall, will return to playing. Prediction: If the Jets lose a receiver, and Moss still is available, they'll be trying to coax him out of retirement.

• My fearless season predictions (division champs): AFC East -- Patriots, AFC North -- Steelers, AFC South --Texans, AFC West -- Chargers. Wild cards -- Jets, Ravens. NFC East -- Eagles, NFC North -- Packers, NFC South -- Saints, NFC West -- Rams. Wild cards -- Falcons, Cowboys. Super Bowl -- Packers over Patriots.

• Enjoy the football Sunday, but please don't forget the true meaning of the day.

A REMINDER FROM THE JETS: As part of a special halftime tribute, the stadium will transition into concert mode and the stadium lights will be turned off for the duration of halftime. The team asks that fans remain in their seats for this emotional tribute.

Maybe the most interesting new face in training camp is 72 years old. He wears those old-school socks, up to the knees. His name is Tom Moore, and he already was on his fourth coaching job -- in 1973 -- when Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was born.

Before camp opened, the Jets hired Moore as a consultant. Smart move. Moore, coming off a 13-year run as the Colts' offensive guru and Peyton Manning's coach, is going to help the offensive operation, according to Rex Ryan. Moore is in camp, acting like a coach. Once the season starts, he'll work from his home in South Carolina, breaking down tape and offering advice.

"He's going to be Brian's guy," Ryan said Tuesday. "It doesn't get any better than having Tom Moore sit in that room with you."

Ryan said he expects Moore to offer "fresh ideas." During the lockout, the Jets brought in Moore as a guest lecturer. He talked a lot about red-zone efficiency, a problem spot for the Jets. Ryan was impressed, so he hired him.

Moore will break down practice tape from home, and he'll study opponents' tape ahead of time, offering his take before the coaches formulate the weekly game plan. Ryan called him "a sounding board."

NO OSI INTEREST: There's a lot of buzz out there about the possibility of the Jets pursuing a trade for disgruntled Giants DE Osi Umenyiora. First of all, the Giants would never trade him to the Jets. Secondly, the Jets aren't interested, according to a source.

Umenyiora can be a terrific pass rusher when he's on his game, but he's not a 3-4 DE, he's looking for a new contract and he's got a hip issue that bears watching. Sure, he'd help as a situational pass rusher -- and the Jets could use help in that area -- but it doesn't make sense to give up a lot in a trade and pay a lot of money for a part-time player.

MEET YOUR NEW DPR: Speaking of the pass rush ... Who will take the Jason Taylor role as the No. 3 OLB? Right now, that job belongs to Jamaal Westerman. Ryan called him a DPR -- designated pass rusher. That's important job because they need a bookend rusher to pair with Calvin Pace.

This is Westerman's third year -- he was an UDFA out of Rutgers -- and the coaching staff has high hopes for him. As Ryan said, "It's time to unleash him."

If Westerman replaces Taylor, who just re-signed with the Dolphins, it'll mean significant playing time. Taylor appeared in 55 percent of the defensive snaps last season.

DON'T RUN, WALK: Under the rules of the new CBA, walk-throughs are just that -- walk throughs. There is no running allowed. It makes for some weird sights and sounds. On Tuesday morning, special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff constantly reminded his players during drills to walk, not run. When's the last time you heard a football coach told a player to slow down? Such is life in the new NFL, where two-a-days and heavy hittings are things of the past.

Ryan likes to poke fun at the 60-minute walk-throughs -- calls them boring -- but he doesn't see it as a big deal. The trick, he said, will be accomplishing as much as they did last training camp. A year ago in Cortland, the Jets had 36 practices. This year, it'll be 24.

"We can't have a bad day," Ryan said.

Brandon Moore, the Jets' player rep, agreed with Ryan, saying it's not a huge adjustment because Ryan never has worked his players too hard in camp. Unlike Eric Mangini, Ryan paces the players, allowing them to stay fresh. Moore likes the new rules and the emphasis on less contact. He doesn't think it will hurt the team's physical style of play and he thinks it'll help from a mental standpoint because there's more classroom time.

"I don't think banging your head into a wall 1,000 times a day makes you tougher," he said.

THIS AND THAT: Darrelle Revis has really taken second-year CB Kyle Wilson under his wing. They spent a couple of weeks together during the lockout, working out in a sports performance center in Arizona. Now, in training camp, Revis had Wilson's locker moved so it's next to his ... Brandon Moore, coming off off-season hip surgery, said he's ahead of schedule. Right now, he's on the physically-unable-to-perform list ... S Jim Leonhard offered an interesting and honest take on CB Antonio Cromartie: "If Cro can get more consistent, he can definitely be at that level." He was alluding to Nnamdi Asomugha ... Ryan praised the just-retired Randy Moss, adding, "It'll be easier for me to sleep at night, knowing he's not in the league."

The Jets didn't make any major moves Saturday, and they also didn't suffer any major losses. Here's what happened:

• Very late Friday night, they re-signed S Eric Smith to a three-year contract for about $7.5 million. Solid move. Smith isn't a playmaker, but he's a smart, savvy veteran that doesn't make mental mistakes, and that goes a long way with the coaching staff. Adios, Brodney Pool.

• The Jets signed first-round pick Muhammad Wilkerson to a four-year contract for $7.4 million contract. That leaves one unsigned draft pick -- third-rounder Kenrick Ellis. Why the hold up? It might have something to do with his pending legal matter -- a felony assault charge due for trial in November. If found guilty of a felony, the Jamaican-born Ellis -- a non-U.S. citizen -- could face deportation, as reported by ESPNNewYork.com earlier this month. Obviously, the Jets want to protect themselves. Hence, the hold up.

• The Jets signed former Chargers CB Donald Strickland to a one-year contract. Frankly, this is a surprise, considering how things ended for him with the Jets in 2009. Strickland tore a leg muscle early against the Colts in the AFC Championship and didn't return to the game. Rex Ryan was livid because it forced him to change personnel on the fly and, well, you remember what happened. Never thought we'd heard from him again, but Strickland was cut the other day by the Chargers and the Jets are desperate. He signed a one-year contract.

• Santonio Holmes made it official, signing his five-year, $50 million contract. No, he didn't crack open another bottle of champagne and tweet a photo.

• The Plaxico Burress talk heated up, thanks to a report by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which reported that the Jets are planning to make a "big pitch" to Burress. The Jets are interested in Burress, but they're staying in contact with other receivers, including James Jones (Green Bay Packers) and Randy Moss (Tennesse Titans).

• The No. 1 item on their agenda appears to be cornerback. You can scratch Chris Carr and Nate Clements off the list of possibilities, as they signed with the Ravens and Bengals, respectively. The Jets are still dancing with Antonio Cromartie, but you get the impression their eyes are wandering around the room, looking for something better.

Random thoughts and observations as we head into the homestretch of the lockout:

• If free agency starts next Saturday, the latest tentative starting date, it'll make for a bizarro training camp. For the first few days of camp, teams will have swiss-cheese depth charts as their free agents shop the open market.

Imagine what it'll be like for the Jets: They will have Jerricho Cotchery (if medically cleared) and Patrick Turner as their starting wide receivers, with Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith potentially shopping for deals. At safety, you could see Jim Leonhard (if cleared) and Dwight Lowery, with Brodney Pool, Eric Smith and James Ihedigbo testing the market.

On, say, Day 3, they could have a new starting receiver show up, maybe Randy Moss. He'll sign his contract, receive a playbook and be sent out to the field to meet his new teammates. It's going to be chaos. It'll be a distraction for players and coaches, all of them wondering who's coming and who's going. It'll be taxing for the coaches, who will have to spend extra time teaching the system to new players. It'll be minicamp, OTAs and training camp all in one, with a revolving door of players. Fasten your seatbelt.

• I'm all for player safety, but the elimination of two-a-days and the reduction of padded practices in the regular season (only 14) is a bit ridiculous. Come on, it's football, not lawn tennis. I agree with Bart Scott; it'll make player soft. The product on the field will suffer, especially the tackling. Old-school coaches believe players lose their edge when they're not practicing in pads.

• The elimination of the No. 3 quarterback on the game-day roster, one of the proposed changes in the CBA, will increase the value of free agent-to-be Smith. A former college quarterback at Missouri, Smith can be the unofficial/emergency No. 3 while playing all his other roles. He'll save a roster spot or two, and that has value.

• I don't know Robert Kraft, and I didn't know his late wife, Myra, but after reading all the tributes and seeing the number of players and former players that attended her funeral (including Curtis Martin), it's not hard to see why the Patriots are such a well-run organization.

• You give Mike Tannenbaum six months to prepare for free agency, and you have to expect a big-splash move that catches people by surprise. He's not the wallflower type. If you're a Jets fan, though, you have to hope he doesn't outhink himself.

• If I'm the Jets and I can get Nnamdi Asomugha for Darrelle Revis money (about $11.5 million per year), with a creative, backloaded deal, I'd do it. I'd rather spend a few million more for Asomugha instead of overpaying Antonio Cromartie. How often does a player of Asomugha's caliber hit the open market? I say go for it.

• Question for owners: Was it really worth it?

The Plaxico Burress-to-the-Jets speculation intensified Monday when the former Giants wide receiver, in a one-hour interview with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, admitted that he has given thought to the possibility of playing for the Jets. He called it "appealing." But at the same time, he hinted that Mark Sanchez has a ways to go before he's in Eli Manning's class.

“It’s been thought about,” Burress said of the Jets, per Ohm Youngmisuk's story on ESPNNewYork.com. “I am not going to sit here and front. For me to go to one side to the other side and win a championship in the same (city), how many people have done that? And do I have the capability to lead a team to a championship? Without question.”

Burress will be a free agent when the lockout ends. The Jets will be in the receiver market if they lose one of their starters, Santonio Holmes or Braylon Edwards, in free agency. Chances are, they won't be able to re-sign both under a salary cap, meaning the Jets will be pursuing a veteran such as Burress or Randy Moss.

Burress turns 34 in August and hasn't played football since 2008, when he accidentally shot himself in the thigh and was arrested for carrying an unlicensed gun. He was released from jail last week after serving 20 months.

“Of course they are appealing,” Burress said of the Jets. “Ever since I came to New York, the fans have embraced me. It is a great city and a great town. It will always be a special place to me regardless of what happens. I can’t say the Jets or Philly or anywhere of that nature but I am going to make a decision that is best for me and my family. It may not be the best team, but put yourself as a piece to the puzzle and say what’s the best chance I have to win a championship.”

Burress seemed bemused that Sanchez is more popular than his former quarterback.

“Eli has won a championship, and the crazy thing about it is it is almost that Mark Sanchez gets more pub than the world champion quarterback,which is crazy,” Burress said. “And I’m looking at it from afar. The man went out and led the organization to a Super Bowl but for some reason, I guess Mark Sanchez is supposed to be better than the guy that has already won one.”

Anybody want to read between the lines?

Sunday notes on the Jets and around the NFL:

One thing about the lockout, from the Jets' perspective, that jumps out: QB Mark Sanchez has solidified himself as the team leader after only two seasons. NT Sione Pouha made a remark the other day at the D-line workout in New Jersey that resonated: He referred to Sanchez as "our leader," adding, "When Mark makes the call (for a full-squad workout), we'll be there."

You always hear players referring to themselves as team leaders, but it means more when it comes from their teammates. Sanchez's evolution as the team leader gained momentum last season, and he took it to a new level with "Jets West." Leadership is huge, especially in a work stoppage when players are looking for guidance.

WAITING AND HOPING: You get the feeling that the players and owners, both afraid of the unknown as they wait for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to render a decision on Friday's appeal, will be motivated to sit down at the bargaining table to hammer out an agreement. The NFL is all about wins and losses, but this is one time where it might make sense to stop the game in the fourth quarter and let everyone go home happy -- or at least try to.

FATHER KNOWS BEST: Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was surprised when his father, Marty, told him he was returning to coaching as the coach/GM of the UFL's Virginia Destroyers.

"I said to him, 'Are you crazy?'" Schottenheimer told me the other day. "He said he loves developing young players and he loves rebuilding projects. He’s thrilled about it, he’s fired up about it. But he said GM stuff is harder than he remembers."

ONE MORE SCHOTT: Schottenheimer doesn't subscribe to the notion that he'll have to scale back his playbook and training-camp installation because of all the lost time due to the lockout. "I don't agree with that at all," he told me. I don't know if I'm buying that; methinks that is coachspeak.

COACHING CHAOS: The Jets' coaching staff is one of 15 that didn't know about or support a legal brief filed by the NFL Coaches' Association that supports the players in the labor dispute. Rex Ryan, in a statement, said the brief -- filed in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals -- came "out of left field on us." Strange, indeed.

SAY IT AIN'T SO: Funny comment (sort of) from a high-school student outside the Morris County (N.J.) school where the Jets' defensive linemen worked out last week. One student, evidently not a Jets fan, walked past DE Muhammad Wilkerson in the parking lot and whispered to a friend, "I think that was Vernon Gholston." To the Jets' hierarchy, that's fingernails across a chalkboard.

HOME-RUN THREAT: Ryan likes to call Randy Moss the best vertical receiver in the game. Well, Ryan has a pretty fair deep threat on his own team -- Braylon Edwards. According to a study by ProFootballFocus.com, Edwards produced 401 receiving yards on deep passes (10th in the league) and four touchdowns (tied-ninth). He also was targeted 33 times (tie-seventh). A deep pass is defined as a throw of at least 20 yards.

Here are some of the highlights from my weekly Friday chat session:

• A big topic, not surprisingly, was the possibility of the Jets pursuing Randy Moss and/or Plaxico Burress as free agents. This much I can tell you: If the Jets lose Santonio Holmes or Braylon Edwards, yes, I think they'd look at Moss and Burress. I get the feeling they'd prefer Moss, but I can't swear to that.

• There was discussion about the 2011 free-agency rules. Will the league have new rules or employ the 2010 rules? Unless the players win the court appeal in an upset, the chances of having the '10 rules are remote -- and that wouldn't be a good thing for the Jets. The '10 rules could be used in a sudden start to the league year, but it won't be sudden if the owners win the appeal, thus permitting them to keep the lockout in place. The future of players like Holmes, Antonio Cromartie and Brad Smith -- all free agents with less than six credited seasons -- could hinge on the outcome. The chances of them returning to the Jets would be enhanced under the '10 rules, which would make them restricted free agents, not unrestricted.

• Fans wanted to know which rookies could make an immediate impact. Because of the work stoppage, it's going to be hard on the rookies, but I think DE Muhammad Wilkerson (first round) and WR/PR Jeremy Kerley (fifth round) will have the best opportunities in 2011.

• There was some Brian Schottenheimer talk, probably sparked by my interview this week with the Jets' offensive coordinator. It's amazing how much of a lightning rod he is.

ESPNNewYork.com is providing a daily breakdown on how the lockout is affecting the individual position groups.

Position: Wide receiver/tight end.

Depth chart: WR -- Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, Brad Smith, Patrick Turner, Logan Payne, Jeremy Kerley (R), Scotty McKnight (R); TE -- Dustin Keller, Matt Mulligan, Jeff Cumberland.

Not under contract: Holmes, Edwards, Smith.

Player hurt most by the lockout: Cumberland.

Player with most to gain: Edwards.

Analysis: It's not farfetched to say the immediate future of the wide-receiver position will be shaped by the outcome of the work stoppage. If the 2010 free-agency rules are used (looking less and less likely), the Jets can retain Holmes and Smith on one-year tenders as restricted free agents. If unrestricted free agency is set at four credited seasons (pre-2010 rules), both players will hit the open market. Hello, Armageddon. Either way, Edwards will be a UFA, and he should do well for himself in a thin market. If the Jets lose him, they will look at Randy Moss, Plaxico Burress and other vets.

Cumberland, who basically red-shirted his rookie year, has a chance to work his way into the mix with the departure of Ben Hartsock. Cumberland is raw and could've benefitted immensely from an offseason with the coaches and in the weight room. The lockout also has affected Cotchery, but in a different way. He underwent back surgery in February, but because the team facility is off limits, he's had to rehab at a private office in New Jersey. Cotchery is progressing nicely, but admitted recently that he missed the comfort level at the team facility.

Interesting note: Eight of the 11 receivers and tight ends turned out for Mark Sanchez's passing camp last month in Southern California, an impressive show of solidarity.

The Randy Moss-Jets speculation remains alive, and there's a reason for that: It's because the Jets have interest in the star-turned-journeyman wide receiver, as I wrote last Sunday.

Owner Woody Johnson, for one, apparently believes Moss, coming off his worst season, still has the potential to play like a star.

"There's no question that Randy Moss has the capability, has the God-given talent to be a superstar, and he has been a superstar, particularly with the Patriots," Johnson told Albert Breer of the NFL Network at this week's owners' meetings in Indianapolis. "That's about all I can say about him, other than I admire his skill and what he's accomplished during those years."

Interesting choice of words by Johnson, who gushed about Moss' past and his future. It was almost like he was saying, "We can make him a star again."

Know this about Johnson: He loves chasing players with marquee appeal. Some might argue that Moss is washed up, but he's still a big name and we've seen over and over how the Jets like to add big names.

So if Braylon Edwards signs elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent, which I suspect he will, the Jets will be in the Moss hunt.

Earlier this month, Mark Sanchez organized "Jets West" -- five days of informal workouts for the Jets' offensive skill-position players at his old high school in Mission Viejo, Calif.

Now it appears that "Jets Rest" is coming soon --as in, the rest of the team.

The Jets' quarterback, in an interview Wednesday night on the NFL Network, said the entire team is planning to gather in June for a lockout "camp." Sanchez didn't say where or when the workouts would occur, offering no details, according to a transcript provided by the network.

Sanchez said Jets West, which attracted about a dozen teammates, "was exactly what we needed from an offensive skill standpoint, and now it’s moving on to getting the whole team together. That will be sometime next month.”

Normally, teams would be in the middle of their OTA practice schedule, but the lockout is threatening to wipe out the entire offseason, forcing players to scramble. Save for Jets West, most of the Jets are working out as individuals or in small groups.

Sanchez received rave reviews for his "Jets West" camp, which included conditioning, classroom work and on-field drills. That the players stayed in oceanfront villas, no doubt, added to the appeal.

Also in the interview, Sanchez expressed confidence that his trio of free-agent wide receivers -- Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and Brad Smith -- will be re-signed.

“I honestly do," he said. "I think that’s what Mike Tannenbaum does best and he’s the best GM in football. Mr. [Woody] Johnson, that’s part of his job. And Rex, that’s keeping all of us together. He wants the offense to run smooth, he wants us to pick up where we left off and to do that, we need all of our guys back. I think that would be the best-case scenario.”

No word on what Sanchez thinks about the prospect of playing with Randy Moss.

Even though they have a lot of key free agents, the Jets might be in better shape than most teams to withstand the lockout. In Sanchez, they have an entrenched starter who has a two-year foundation in the offensive system. Sanchez said it will be "a staggering task" for rookie quarterbacks to play without the benefit of the offseason.

"I feel bad for those guys," he said.

On Monday afternoon, I posed this question on my Twitter page (@RichCimini): Would signing Randy Moss be a good move or bad move for the Jets?

Early returns: Not all that positive.

Thirty-two people replied in the first 20 minutes or so, and here's the breakdown:

Anti-Moss: 20
Pro-Moss: 8
Undecided: 4

Here's a sampling of comments:

From @Bernm: "Bad. Over-the-hill + Locker room cancer + big $ = No"

From @nadrod24: "moss has no team focus. Runs only verticals and would make sanchez force too many throws to him, mess up any offensive flow."

From @Davis_Seth: "Bad move, and somewhat dumb if they're trying to use purported interest in Moss as leverage against Edwards and/or Holmes."

From @dolan182jetsnyy: "good move. Fade pass to the back of endzone and the deep threat will be redic. Teams top corner on holmes. It a winwin situation."

From @nyjets4tw: "You can never tell with Randy Moss....if it was short low money it could be productive."

As I mentioned Sunday on my Jets blog, I don't think this would be a good move for the Jets. Some might say that Rex Ryan has been successful with players that have off-the-field issues, and that's true. See Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Antonio Cromartie. But Moss has on-the-field issues -- loses interest, doesn't block, runs primarily vertical routes, etc.

Ryan calls Moss the best vertical receiver in the game. In theory, that would be a nice complement to Holmes, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller (assuming that Edwards is the one that leaves to open a spot for Moss), but Moss's track record suggests he will become disgruntled and poison the locker room.

Brian Schottenheimer relies on versatility in his offense, asking all the receivers to play the different positions -- X, Z and slot. That, he believes, makes them harder to defend. Holmes and Edwards embraced that notion and were willing to step outside their comfort zone. Would Moss? History says no.

He was a headache and a non-producer last season, bouncing from the Patriots to the Vikings to the Titans -- and that was in a contract year, when he had plenty of motivation to score one more decent contract. That should be red flag for the Jets.

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.