Stephen Hill is just one guy to keep an eye during Training Camp.

Now that we are done with OTA’s and minicamp, in a few weeks it will be time for training camp. While OTA’s and minicamp are relatively short, training camp is the start of the grind for the players. Although not right away, this is where the real hitting and tackling comes into play. Expect a few fights, a few arguments, and anything else you can think of. But also expect more football activity going on. As I am sure you can agree, the more football, the better. This year’s training camp is huge for the Jets. Many positions are still up for grabs. If a player really stands out during camp, he could find himself as a starter. But there is also the negative. If a player does not impress the coaches, he may find himself looking for a new job sooner than he would have expected. Lets take a look at some things to look forward to when the Jets are at SUNY Cortland.

Geno Smith vs Mark Sanchez- A fair warning, get used to hearing about the Jets QB competition all throughout training camp. Although it gets to be too much at times, this may be the most important battle that the Jets have. We may all secretly try to hide it, but we care about the QB’s competition percentage during each practice. I have held the same stance in which quarterback I would like to start week 1. That quarterback is the one who impresses the coaches the most. The one that the Jets truly feel is giving them the best chance to win. If that person is Sanchez, fine with me. If that person is Smith, that is also fine with me. This should be a great battle to keep an eye on all summer.

Dawan Landry and ?- After the Jets decided to not bring back both Yeremiah Bell and LaRon Landry, the Jets suddenly had a glaring need at the safety spot. The Jets wasted no time in signing the other Landry, Dawan. Landry will undoubtedly be one starting safety, but who will be the other? The battle is between two second year players in Josh Bush and Antonio Allen. In my opinion, I think Bush wins the job. While Allen is a talented player, Bush has good coverage skills,which I believe will win him the job. With Landry being a physical player, and not much of a cover safety, it is vital the Jets have one safety that can be a protection blanket for the corners. A wild card name to keep an eye on is undrafted free agent Rontez Miles. Just from watching him at camp the other day, his height and impressive frame make him an interesting player. Do not be shocked if Miles name is thrown into this battle.

The 2nd cornerback- It is going to be weird to not see Darrelle Revis as a Jet week 1. With 24 gone, it is now up to Antonio Cromartie to step up and be the number 1 corner. When Revis went down last year, Cro really stepped his game up and proved that he is a true #1 corner in this league. Expect the same from him this year. The question is who will be starting on the opposite side of the field? Dee Milliner or Kyle Wilson? I think Milliner wins this job. Although he is battling through some injuries right now, expect Dee to be ready for training camp. Milliner was the best cornerback in all of college football last season, and expect him to be a solid cornerback for the Jets this season as well. Milliner is a physical player with shutdown ability. Do not forget about former first rounder Kyle Wilson though. Expect Wilson to be playing the Nickel role, and in the slot. According to Rex Ryan, Wilson is having the best off-season of his NFL career. With Cromartie, Milliner, and Wilson as starters the Jets should have a solid trio of cornerbacks this season. Some wild card names to watch are Aaron Berry and Darrin Walls. Both have looked impressive so far in camp.

These are just 3 of the battles that will be going on when the Jets head up to Cortland for training camp. The motto that John Idzik is preaching is “competition”, so look for every single player fighting for his job day in and day out.

Jul 28, 2012; Renton, WA, USA; NFL: Seattle Seahawks tight end Kellen Winslow (82) jogs between drills at a training camp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a fun couple of weeks so far, giving you guys a shot to appear on our web page. So, let’s get right to it:

In response to “Kellen Winslow Would be a Great Move For the New York Jets”

Seems to me he’s been milking that knee injury to keep from working too hard in practice. He’s been on the injury report every week, but always shows up on game day. We’ll see if his attitude has improved after a year sabbatical. He has a one year old baby too. That tends to change people. I guess we’ll see what kind of $ we’re talking about too. For a one year show me contract then sign me up.

In response to “Potential Starters on Offense and Defense for the New York Jets“.

Like you said, its very early in the year. I believe Sanchez will be your starter though (little reason to throw Geno to the wolves quite yet). Ivory might be a 1,000 yd back, but so was Greene, 1000 yds isn’t what it used to be! If your projected starters at WR hold true, we’re in trouble!! If Pace makes it to camp, I’ll be surprised!! He’s toast!!

In response to “Former Jets’ QB Tim Tebow Making a Mistake Signing with New England”

−Belichick is just looking to divert attention from his declining team–Brady a yr older—-Gronk hurt yet again–Wes Welker gone to the mountains –
Belichick cant seem to get a decent defense on the field without Parcells picking the players for him–Belichick sees himself as this great football innovator the truth is he’s not–Tom Landry was—Landry brought back the shotgun QB, flee flicker pass-1st to implement a situational 3rd down RB Preston Pearson and creator of the flex defense–Bill Walsh created the West coast offense High % passing letting the WR turning short passes into tds–Bill Belichick brought back the drop kick with Doug Flutie -he’s a legend in his own mind.

In response to, “Former Jets’ QB Tim Tebow Making a Mistake Signing with New England”

Wait.. so the man who left his all-pro TE in on an extra point to block when he was up by 30 (came around to bite him in the A** when his offense was non-existent against Baltimore), the man who luckily found one of the best QBs of all time in the 5th round of a draft, and the man that has been convicted of cheating to win football games is not a genius for signing Tebow like every member of the main stream media told us?

All of my main stream media anger aside that was caused by various “experts”, I have to say I that I do not understand the move. Tebow has made it clear that he wants to be a starting QB in this league, and New England might be about the hardest place for that with Brady and then Mallet in case Brady goes down (just my opinion of the depth chart). Now that leaves a FB or TE position that maybe he can play a little bit. However, they are set with 2 very good TEs and the FB has never really been a part of the NE offense. So I really don’t get where Tebow fits in because I can’t imagine Brady would be too thrilled if NE created a “Tebow Package.” Honestly, New England doesn’t need Tebow on their offense anywhere so the move will bring them more media attention than they need (5 of the 10 articles shown on NFL.com the other day were Tebow articles after the signing).

I think this hurts them more than helps them, and I can only hope that I am true. Do I think Belichick will insert Tebow when Brady drives HIS team to the 2 just to rub it in the Jets face when Tebow runs it in? Absolutely.

As the Rex Ryan era enters its 5th season with the Jets it is appropriate to take a look back and see if the Rex Ryan who is coaching the Jets now still bears resemblance to one that started this era. Has he changed? Has that change been for the better? What has his evolution looked like and how does that affect this coming season? Those are the questions that need to be answered by the most interesting coach the Jets have ever had and certainly one of the best.

We will look at Rex Ryan through his own words in each of his first four years with the Jets. In the first part we will look at his beginnings in 2009. On Thursday we will look at the wild year that was 2010. Next Monday will focus on the drama of 2011 as times began to change. Next Thursday looks at a changed man in 2012 as everything that could go wrong did. Finally we will focus on 2013 and hopefully beyond.

After the late season collapse that ended Eric Mangini’s time with the Jets in 2008 the Jets were looking to go in a different direction. Mangini had Florham Park locked down like a fortress with absolutely no information coming out of the building and the personality he portrayed was stoic and antagonistic just like his mentor Bill Belichick. Enter Rex Ryan. Ryan was the long time defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens and the son of the great defensive mind Buddy Ryan. Rex was a straight shooter who said what he felt and believed not caring what anyone else thought. Here is the very first thing he said in his introductory press conference:

First off, with all the cameras I was looking for our new president back there (smiling). I think we’ll get to meet him in the next couple of years anyway. (From transcript printed in the New York Post from January 21, 2009)

That summed up Rex Ryan perfectly in his first statement he was already talking Super Bowl. He went on to describe what the hallmark of his teams would be in another quote from the same press conference:

We’re going to try to put pressure on everybody that we play with our style of play. We want to be known as the most physical football team in the NFL, and whatever that means, you figure it out. We’re going to take care of each other. The players will have each other’s backs. If you take a swipe at one of ours, we’ll take a swipe at two of yours, and that’s just the way this game is going to be played.

He carried that bravado into the season and proved there was substance behind his talk in Week 2 against the Patriots. During the week he left a recorded message on each season ticket holder’s voicemail imploring them to be loud then he showed he would not back down to Bill Belichick by saying this:

“I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings. I came here to win, let’s put it that way. I’m certainly not intimidated by New England or anybody else.”

Then he followed that up by beating the Patriots that day and serving notice to the rest of the league that something special was happening with the Jets.