Hutchinson - NY Jets: A guide to training camp

NY Jets: A guide to training camp
by Dave Hutchinson/The Star-Ledger
Wednesday July 29, 2009, 11:09 PM

FOUR DOWNS

Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez (five years, $50 million, $28 million guaranteed) was surprisingly underwhelming during veterans minicamp in June. It'll be interesting to see if he can pick it up in his duel for the starting job with veteran Kellen Clemens.

Privately, some veterans feel their best chance to win this season is with Clemens, but coach Rex Ryan seems more than willing to go with Sanchez. If the competition is close, the former USC golden boy will likely get the nod on the strength of his big contract and Ryan's experience last season in Baltimore when rookie quarterback Joe Flacco led the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game.

What's more, Ryan is looking for his quarterback to simply manage the game, not win it, and that bodes well for Sanchez. Clemens, though, is in his fourth season in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's system and the Jets can't win with defense alone.

Ryan wants to "ground and pound," but both of his running backs are unhappy campers. The Jets are trying to strike an 11th-hour deal with Leon Washington but, with veterans scheduled to report Thursday, time is running out. Washington, scheduled to earn $535,000 this season, has threatened to boycott training camp if he doesn't get a new deal. He's the Jets' best offensive weapon and it would behoove them to make him happy.

Veteran Thomas Jones is also dissatisfied with his paycheck ($900,000 this season coming off winning the AFC rushing title) but he doesn't have much leverage. Plus, he'll be 31 years old on opening day.

Unless someone steps up in a big way, the Jets may have to add a proven veteran wide receiver. And the Jets have distanced themselves from ex-Giant Plaxico Burress. No one except the Jets coaching staff seems to think Jerricho Cotchery is a No. 1 receiver. There are whispers inside the organization suggesting that David Clowney was a one-game wonder (his two-TD, 163-yard preseason masterpiece vs. Cleveland).

Brad Smith has promise but the Jets have been waiting three years for it. Chansi Stuckey is only a slot guy, albeit a good one, and Wallace Wright is a special-teamer. The Jets are counting on using TE Dustin Keller to spark the passing game but opponents will be game-planning for that.

Although the Jets want to run the ball behind their outstanding offensive line, they need the threat of a passing game to open things up or else teams will put eight and nine players in the box.

Just how good will the defense be? In Baltimore, Ryan's unit never finished lower than sixth in the NFL during his four-year stint as coordinator, but he had all-world LB Ray Lewis and a parade of Pro Bowlers. This season, the Jets' defense looks good on paper, but can it put it all together when the games count? The unit is relying on ex-Ravens LB Bart Scott to be another Lewis and S Kerry Rhodes to be a clone of Baltimore's all-universe S Ed Reed.

The Jets, though, lack a dominant pass-rusher, which could be troublesome. Former Ravens S Jim Leonhard and DE Marques Douglas will help make the transition a bit easier for the defense, as will one-time Eagles Pro Bowl CB Lito Sheppard.

WHAT'S NEW?

Veteran defensive players are absolutely giddy about Ryan's blitz-happy, seek-and-destroy defense. It's a far cry from former coach Eric Mangini's read-and-react scheme. Ryan brought over his first lieutenant, Mike Pettine, to run the defense and imported three formers Ravens -- Scott, Leonhard and Douglas -- to be coaches on the field, each for one level of the defense. Sheppard was a huge pickup.

Thinking ahead, the Jets drafted bruising RB Shonn Greene (Sicklerville) to be the heir apparent to Jones, and undrafted rookie LB Jamaal Westerman (Rutgers) looks like a keeper.

The Jets are $11.8 million under the salary cap, according to NFLPA figures, and they might yet add a wide receiver.

WHAT'S NOT?

It's flying a bit under the radar but the Jets' decision to re-sign Moore is big because it means that their entire offensive line, the strength of their team a year ago, will return intact. That unit includes two Pro Bowlers: C Nick Mangold and LG Alan Faneca.

The organization is counting on LB Vernon Gholston, a bust as a rookie, to have an impact. Unsung DE Shaun Ellis, who is expected to be suspended at least one game for a marijuana possession charge, returns. But he'll join holdover LB and sack leader Calvin Pace, who has been suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy, on the sidelines early on.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Friday: 8:15 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Saturday: 8:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Sunday: 8:15 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Monday: 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Tuesday: 8:15 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Wednesday: 8:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Aug. 6: 7 p.m. (scrimmage)

Aug. 8: 8:15 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Aug. 9: 8:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Aug. 10: 8:15 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Aug. 11: 8:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Aug. 12: 6 p.m. (at Hofstra)

Aug. 16: 8:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Aug. 17: 8:15 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Aug. 18: 8:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Aug. 19: 8:15 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Aug. 20: 8:15 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Aug. 21: 8:15 a.m.

Aug. 22: Time TBA (at Florham Park)

Aug. 26: Time TBA (at Florham Park)

Aug. 27: Time TBA (at Florham Park)

PRESEASON GAMES

Aug. 14: Rams 7 p.m.

Aug. 24: at Baltimore 8 p.m.

Aug. 29: at Giants 8 p.m.

Sept. 3: Eagles 7 p.m.

IF YOU GO

From Central Jersey, take I-287 North to I-80 West into Pennsylvania. Take I-80 West to I-380 North. Pick up I-81 North in Scranton, taking Exit 12 (Cortland). Stay straight on the exit ramp and drive to the traffic light for Route 281/Ithaca.

At the traffic light take a left onto Route 281. Stay on Route 281 for approximately 3 miles. Take a left onto Stratton Drive.

Pass through the open gate.

From North Jersey, take Route 17 to Binghamton, picking up I-81 North and following the above directions.

Parking: $5

Contacts: Fans can call (973) 549-4844 or visit newyorkjets.com

 

Yeah, that's pretty much it.

 

Unless the Jets have made it known that they are proactively going to suspend Ellis for that arrest, I'm not sure what Hutch is talking about. First offense isn't a league suspension.