The most anticipated New York Jets training camp in, like, maybe ever begins in 13 days in Cortland, N.Y., an isolated, but friendly town about 30 minutes south of Syracuse. Over the next two weeks, we'll break down the roster, unit by unit, focusing on positional battles and camp-related issues -- a primer for what promises to be a memorable season. First up, the quarterbacks.
Unit: Quarterback
Depth Chart: Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge, Kevin O'Connell, Brad Smith
On the Bubble: Clemens, Ainge, O'Connell.
Player to Watch: Sanchez. Why? Because he's Mark Sanchez. And because he's coming off semi-major knee surgery that sidelined him for three months in the offseason.
Wild Card: Smith. He might not be just a gimmick QB anymore. The former Missouri QB, a multi-purpose weapon in the NFL, got a lot of work behind center in minicamp.
Analysis: Obviously, the spotlight will be on Sanchez, who is attempting to build on his strong finish. He has more weapons in his arsenal, and a better grasp of the playbook. It'll be interesting to see if the docs cut back on his reps, as they did in minicamp, as he makes his way back from knee surgery. Clemens' bubble could burst when the Jets sign veteran free agent Mark Brunell, which is likely to happen this week. That, from all indications, is a virtual done deal. What remains unclear is whether the Jets see Brunell as a No. 2 or No. 3. Can't see the suddenly cost-conscious Jets paying close to $1 million for a third-stringer, so we'll say Brunell will be a No. 2. (His main job description, though, will be Sanchez mentor.) One not-so-minor question: Can the old guy (almost 40) still play? He has attempted only one meaningful pass in the last two seasons. Sorry, those 29 passes in the '09 regular-season finale, which the New Orleans Saints treated as a bye week, don't count. This much is certain: The Jets won't carry four QBs like last season. Ainge may have a slight edge on O'Connell, but their scholarships have expired. If neither proves worthy of a job, the Jets could consider Smith for the No. 3 job, which would save a roster spot.
Unit: Quarterback
Depth Chart: Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge, Kevin O'Connell, Brad Smith
On the Bubble: Clemens, Ainge, O'Connell.
Player to Watch: Sanchez. Why? Because he's Mark Sanchez. And because he's coming off semi-major knee surgery that sidelined him for three months in the offseason.
Wild Card: Smith. He might not be just a gimmick QB anymore. The former Missouri QB, a multi-purpose weapon in the NFL, got a lot of work behind center in minicamp.
Analysis: Obviously, the spotlight will be on Sanchez, who is attempting to build on his strong finish. He has more weapons in his arsenal, and a better grasp of the playbook. It'll be interesting to see if the docs cut back on his reps, as they did in minicamp, as he makes his way back from knee surgery. Clemens' bubble could burst when the Jets sign veteran free agent Mark Brunell, which is likely to happen this week. That, from all indications, is a virtual done deal. What remains unclear is whether the Jets see Brunell as a No. 2 or No. 3. Can't see the suddenly cost-conscious Jets paying close to $1 million for a third-stringer, so we'll say Brunell will be a No. 2. (His main job description, though, will be Sanchez mentor.) One not-so-minor question: Can the old guy (almost 40) still play? He has attempted only one meaningful pass in the last two seasons. Sorry, those 29 passes in the '09 regular-season finale, which the New Orleans Saints treated as a bye week, don't count. This much is certain: The Jets won't carry four QBs like last season. Ainge may have a slight edge on O'Connell, but their scholarships have expired. If neither proves worthy of a job, the Jets could consider Smith for the No. 3 job, which would save a roster spot.
Rich Cimini
ESPNNewYork.comRich Cimini, longtime Jets beat writer for the New York Daily News and a Syracuse graduate, covers Gang Green for ESPNNewYork.com.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Rich Cimini
Rich Cimini, longtime Jets beat writer for the New York Daily News and a Syracuse University graduate, now covers Gang Green for ESPNNewYork.com.
Jane McManus
Jane McManus has covered sports in the New York area since 1998, and began covering football just before Brett Favre's stint with the Jets. Her work has also appeared in Newsday, USA Today, The Journal News, The Cincinnati Enquirer and The New York Times.
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TEAM LEADERS
| PASSING | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Mark Sanchez
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| RUSHING | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | ||||||||
| S. Greene | 253 | 1054 | 4.2 | 6 | ||||||||
| L. Tomlinson | 75 | 280 | 3.7 | 1 | ||||||||
| RECEIVING | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | ||||||||
| D. Keller | 65 | 815 | 12.5 | 5 | ||||||||
| S. Holmes | 51 | 654 | 12.8 | 8 | ||||||||
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