And inching ahead in the quarterback race is…….
Brett Ratliff. At this morning’s wind and rain-blown workout that lasted 1 hour 55 minutes [Mangini said going in he would have shorter practices, trying to keep them under two hours], Ratliff completed the lone deep ball, a 30-yarder down the sideline to Paul Raymond.
But as Kellen Clemens said afterward, “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
Of course, that came in response to Clemens fielding a question about his first pass of an 11-on-11 drill, which turned out to be a pick thrown right into the bread basket of linebacker Eric Barton, who had dropped into coverage. After the pick, Clemens spent a few moments talking to Barton, “to ask him why he was there,” he said. “You don’t want to make the same mistake twice.”
Talking about the interception, Clemens said, “they were in a drop eight coverage which is always kind of difficult to throw into but Barton did a good job reading my eyes. I tried to look him off to the right and come back to Laveranues on the left. That was a veteran play by Barton.”
As for Pennington, he overall threw more passes than Clemens in the 11 on 11s, never completing one of his long throws (20-plus yards). His nicest throw came on a medium out, a 13-yard completion to Coles. Pennington also hit rookie Dustin Keller, who lined up in the morning at tight end but also wide a couple times, in the flat for about a 10-yard gain. Clemens best throw was to Keller, a play in which Clemens pump-faked, rolled to his right, then threw back across the middle of the field a wide-open Keller, who had lined up at tight end in the formation.
The story with Pennington (more on the quarterbacks in tomorrow’s paper), he spent a lot of time talking about changes he made in the offseason in order to get more velocity on his throws. Pennington talked a bit about that in the minicamp but more extensively today.
“I really do,” Pennington said, asked if he felt like he’s getting more strength in his throws. “I think probably to the naked eye or to someone who has not really studied me, they probably wouldn’t notice a lot. But there’s a lot of things I’m tweaking and changing because I want to get better. I want to become a consistent thrower down the field and really take my talent, take my accuracy, and use that to my advantage down the field; intermediate; short; wherever the ball needs to go, that’s my goal to put the ball there.”
BAKER TONES IT DOWN
Chris Baker dialed back the inflammatory rhetoric from minicamp and essentially pledged not to be this year’s Pete Kendall. He said the reason was that his agent, Jonathan Feinsod, and Mike Tannenbaum began “talking” in the last week. He didn’t go into specifics, but he said the two parties talking was enough to convince him to play the role of a team player, which is more in line with who he has been in the past than what we saw at minicamp. It is reasonable to assume what is being talked about is either some kind of restructuring of Baker’s deal, or perhaps even a trade, though that seems less likely. Maybe it’s none of that but regardless, Baker seems encouraged.
“At least the two sides are talking,” Baker said. “At least they’re talking and that’s a good thing, as opposed to a month and a half ago when there wasn’t much of anything.”
Baker did confirm something we talked about on this blog a couple days ago: that his appearance on the PUP list wasn’t punitive, that he really is hurt.
“If they did something like that,” Baker said of getting put on that list without being hurt. “I would tell you guys that.”
As for the back he “tweaked” during minicamp, Baker said, “I’ll be back on the field pretty soon.”
ODD SCENE FROM THE MORNING: players after miscues – penalties, drops, fumbles, etc. – have to run laps. Among those running this morning were TE Bubba Franks (fumble), OL Nate Garner (false start) and DT Thomas Johnson (off sides). Nothing strange there. What was? During an 11-on-11 series punter Ben Graham ran past. I have no idea why.
ODD SCENE PART II: While watching some drills, I turned around and saw Jane McManus, who is in her first year on the Jets beat for The Journal News (and some kind of roller derby maven I'm told), was in the bleachers snapping pictures of a group of people with her cell phone. I’m guessing they were from Westchester and it was for a story she was working on. That’s where I draw the line.
*More on the defense later – there’s a 5:45 practice as well that we’ll be reporting on – but loyal reader dmb should know Justin Miller started opposite Darrelle Revis during most drills this morning. Had to get that out there. Nothing new in the defensive alignment from what we saw in minicamp. Also, and this has been asked before, Revis worked with the special teams returning both kickoffs and punts.
Comments (19)
Noodlearm's "working on his technique".... again...... what'd he do, get some pointers from the 12 year old girl who lives down the street?
I find it hard to believe how anyone can criticize a qb with CPs toughness, leadership and that took us to a couple of playoffs, one as recent as 06 and one just short of getting into the afc championship!
He is a class act and never threw all of the above, had any game changing superstars on his offense. He didnt even have a real running back in 06 and still got us 10 wins!
He never had a strong arm ,but all his other attributes made up for it. Now he has a team around him!
Last season with a severe ankle injury which affected his velocity and a joke of an oline, and with the D playing for him the worst in the NFL, some are ready to dismiss him without giving him the benefit of now being healthy and with a much more solid team around him.
The facts are, that he is our only proven qb and has alot more around him now than he has had in a while.
Everyone one was blinded by his injury and the oline last season, but I wouldnt be so fast to write of a proven veteran like CP.
Regardless of the outcome , he is a class act and gives his all to this organization. He deserves praise not derogatory comments regardless of the outcome.
If KC wins the qb competition and gives the jets the best chance to win, I back that 100%, but still take my hat off to CP !
He was talking to Jenny Finch, learning how she throws the softball so hard underhanded.
Hey Erik, I've been away for a while, and I haven't heard anything about Danny Woodhead. Is he still in camp or has he been released? If he's still around how has he been doing?
well said scott p. character counts. i'm sure darrell (is it "DUHrell"?) would be happy if we had Vick as a starter and Jeff George as his back-up. I mean, a strong arm is all it takes, right?
Hey, Darrell, do me this favor....put away the cheesedoodles and rockstar, turn off Madden 07 (which i am sure is where you spend countless hours honing your qb skills) and go outside and film yourself throwing a football. please. then post it on you tube so we can all have a laugh.
Any recent success we've enjoyed as a team has come with Pennington at the helm, so regardless of who wins the job and is the QB of this team going forward, I think Chad deserves a little more respect than he gets.
I'm not sold on Kellen Clemens yet to be honest, and until he does anything to prove otherwise, Chad is still the best QB on our roster.
dundi, Rich R, right on the mark !
Sorry, but Chad hasn't been good in 4 seasons, and he's had multiple shoulder surgeries since. And he has only been a very good QB once in his career, his rookie season. I used to love the guy, and I defended him for a long time. But he's been done for ages. This team CANNOT win a SB with Penny at the helm, and since that's the ultimate goal, its time to find that SB QB. Clemens isn't giving off confidence that he can be that, but at least its still a semi-unknown.
History has proven you need a HOF level QB to win a SB. Chad is not that. So history has shown that Chad should not be the QB of this team, as long as the goal is SB.
Rumor has it VG is signed!
Gholson signed for 9/yr according to Cimini's blog:
"Vernon on board
The Vernon Gholston contract is done, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The only thing standing in the way of a Gholston press conference/appearance on the practice field is league approval.
It should come in close to $9 million a year, a staggering amount for a rookie. He’d better be good, real good."
Looks like I correctly predicted Chris Baker's attitude on the first day of camp, Boland.
When I get paid 64 million to QB a football team, feel free to critique my play. Wow, I've never seen such a mediocre player ride two good seasons in my life.
Like Mark Schlereth said, "three yards and a cloud of dust shouldn't refer to a team's passing game."
How many concussions of Jets recievers (you know, the guys who have to go over the middle at LB depth to catch one of Chaddy-boy's ducks- the real "warriors" on our team- not the 'egg back there') have been directly attributable to our precious-golden-boy-of-the-three-yard-outs?
Folks got all over McCairens for not being able to do his job. I think Chad is fair game for the same type of criticism.
Oh... and let's not forget who really took us to those playoff games. He wore a 28, in case you forgot.
dmb88886 -
"History has proven you need a HOF level QB to win a SB." WTF?? Don't get me wrong, it sure does help, but what wins a superbowl is a tight team, a tough D, and some good luck on staying healthy throughout the season.
I don't know if I would include Mark Rypien, Jeff Hostetler, Jim McMahon, Trent Dilfer, or Brad Johnson HOF QB's... And those are just some of the guys that won it... The list of QB's who got there and lost is staggering...
All in all, may the best man win, but my vote is still for CP.
Curtis Martin didn't bring them to the playoffs in 2006
"I don't know if I would include Mark Rypien, Jeff Hostetler, Jim McMahon, Trent Dilfer, or Brad Johnson HOF QB's... And those are just some of the guys that won it... The list of QB's who got there and lost is staggering..."
ibleedgreen, you don't want to go here with me
11 of the last 16 SB's were won by HOF level QB's (Peyton, Brady (3), Elway (2), Favre, Aikman (3), Steve Young). Most of those guys are top 5-10 QB's EVER in the game or will be by the time their career is over (Brady and Manning).
Of the other 5 SB's not won by HOF QB's. One was by Kurt Warner who played like a HOFer for a few seasons and was the best player in the league that season. Another one certainly has a chance of putting together a HOF career (Big Ben). Another Eli Manning, the jury is still out. It wouldn't be out of the realm of reality if he turns into a HOF QB. But let's not go there yet. However, Eli had one of the best pass rushes you'll ever see on the Dline, the Jets don't have anything like that. The final other 2 winning QB's during that last 16 seasons were Dilfer and Brad Johnson. Brad Johnson was very good then, but either way, those 2 had 2 of the best defenses in the history of the game, including Dilfer having the team that many consider the best single season defense ever (2000 Ravens).
So unless you think this team will have historical level defenses like the Ravens and Bucs, or you think Chad will put together an offense that is one of the best of all time (ala Kurt Warner) this team has no shot at a SB without a HOF level QB. Its just the facts.
No, Chip, he just took us to the ones we won.
Glad to hear bout Gholston.
IMHO, CP is a good quarterback, not a great one. You need great one, or a good one acting great to be successful at the SB, but TEAMWORK is the most important thing. A great quarterback can't win unless the entire team works together. I've never been a big CP fan, but I admire and respect his work ethic, tenacity and his smarts. He's just missing that one thing...maybe he'll find it by tweaking his mechanics. Let's face it, he's worked for some pretty not-so great coordinators (Remember Paul "Can't" Hackett...the OC who drew up plans that even Wayne Chrebet's grandmother could figure out!), bad luck, bad O-line, bad arm, bad ankles (let's face it, unless he gets his ankles stapled and has blood dripping onto his sock, he'll never be Shillinged by anyone!).
Let's see what happens. The fact that he had a bum ankle from so early on in the season AND Mangini stuck with him tells me KC wasn't ready yet. Something we all saw when he was finally thrown to the dogs. KC's in his 3rd year...time to put up or shut up. I just don't want to see the Jets turn into the NY Rangers by trading for Favre!
It's a new season, new O-line, new D-line. I want to see my team hit some people. No more of this "bend but don't break" crap. I want to see 3 and outs by the D (not the O!) I want to see the D dominate, so the O can take their time and control the ball. I want to see Jones run (run Thomas, run!) That's how you win. I'm tired of being the lonely Jets fan stuck at a ski bar in Maine having people patrionize me about how someday they will get better and laugh as they walk away. I want to proudly wear my green and white in Pats country...Mangini...make this simple dream come true!!! (wiping a tear away)
Camp News from our arch nemisis: The Patsies didn't want to get wet today, so they practiced in the "bubble" The local news showed the Patsies running from the locker room to the bubble...the only one "secure enough in his masculinity to carry an umbrella" (that's what the newscaster said...I swear!) was Bruschi. When the Pats practice inside, no one can watch. Eric, you thought getting new news on the Jets was tough...these reporters only saw the Pats run from the locker to the bubble tody, limiting what they could report on. Let's see, the big thing reported was which player had a new haircut and Brady said he felt like he was 21...that he was in good shape. Other players said they were over the SB loss. That's good...keep reminding your home team about the worst moment of their careers...that should lead to a good start!
teams win sb's not individuals.
"teams win sb's not individuals"
you're right, however, only teams WITH HOF-level QB's win SB's
teams WITHOUT HOF-level QB's don't win SB's