Erik Boland: Inside the Jets

By Tom Rock

Sorry for the dry spell. I was having some Internet problems in Philly and was unable to get online to update the blog. I was MIA so long I think Glauber was about to start a contest to see when I would crack.

Anyway, we’re back from Philadelphia and back online. Just in time to post some roster speculation. The big questions seem to be whether C.J. Mosley made enough of an impression (mostly on the facemask of A.J. Feeley) to get on the team; if Tuiasosopo showed his merits with a good second half (or if the Brad Smith Quarterback Experiement should be shut down); and if the Jets will be comfortable with Bender, Clarke, Smith or Jones at left guard.

The roster is decided at 5 p.m. Saturday. The REAL roster is decided about a week later, when the Jets have their final meetings before the Pats game.

You’ve seen the preseason games. You’ve dropped by camp at Hofstra. You’ve read, listened to and watched all of the analysis. Which bubble players do you think deserve a shot on the 53? Will someone start a Schlegel bandwagon? Is there a Kimo Defense Fund?

Shout it out here. We’ll post the Jets’ decisions ASAP.

By Tom Rock

The Jets moved Matt Chatham from the Active PUP list (which is a contradiction in terms we into which we will not delve at this moment) to Reserve PUP. The move means that Chatham is not eligible to practice with the team until a three-week window that begins after Week 6. But you remember all of that from the Curtis Martin Vigil last year.

The move also means that at least two of the Jets captains from last year are unlikely to reprise their roles. Pete Kendall was an offensive captain, and Chatham was a special teams captain. Looking for a replacement for Chatham? Is do-it-all guy Brad Smith ready for that role? How about Mike Nugent, who was a captain at The Ohio State University? Or maybe ... just maybe ... a guy like Justin McCareins gets the nod. I guess we'll see soon enough.

By Tom Rock

Just passing along some info from the Jets website. You can read the whole shebang here. Mangini didn't say whether or not Chrebet will always have a locker in the hearts of Jets fans:

The New York Jets have announced that they will honor former wide receiver Wayne Chrebet with a special halftime ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 23 when the Jets host the Miami Dolphins in the third game of the 2007 season.

“Wayne Chrebet was a one-of-a-kind player," Jets president Jay Cross said. "For 11 seasons, he represented this team with class and dignity. His skill was matched only by his big heart and his unflinching dedication to his team and the game of football. His legacy will forever inspire our players, coaches and fans. We are thrilled to celebrate his remarkable career with a special halftime ceremony."

By Tom Rock

We know the Jets have an affinity for smallish nose tackles, but Dewayne Robertson has taken it to the extreme. He looks to have dropped about 100 pounds. The Jets even had him out there fielding punts. Then there was Justin Miller, who seems to have fallen out of shape pretty quickly during his time on the injury sideline.

No, no, no. It’s just that a few of the Jets defenders had a jersey swap and were wearing each others’ numbers. So it was Miller who was No. 63 and D-Rob was wearing 22 (though he barely squeezed into it). Vilma wore 24 and Revis wore 51 (which can certainly be interpreted as a sign of respect for the rookie). Kerry Rhodes and Victor Hobson switched, as did Eric Smith and Eric Barton, and Shaun Ellis and Andre Dyson.

No official word on why. Maybe the Jets think someone’s been peeking in on their practices, a Patriots-sponsored Sputnik. Or maybe it was just to play with our minds a little. Coulda just been for some laughs, break up the preseason drudgery. We may never know.

A funny moment in the locker room that I neglected to mention in the earlier post: It’s fair to say that the players aren’t very comfortable with all of the reporters on their turf. They look forward to the time when we are all ushered out. But David Bowens came up with an ingenious way to shoo us all away. At a moment when it was quiet, he announced “Pete Kendall to the podium!” Very clever stuff.

Everybody practiced except Thomas Jones, who continues working without pads but seems to be making progress, and the Jets’ lone PUPpy, Matt Chatham.

By Tom Rock

Just got back from the locker room and will be heading out to practice in a few minutes. It was the last locker room access we’ll have to the players until Saturday or Sunday. Or maybe even Monday. So we reporters tried to fill our notebooks as best we can. At one point an alarm started blaring. Yesterday Pennington said no one is pushing the panic button. Today, it sounded like maybe someone did.

The stars of the locker room were the quarterbacks: Tuiasosopo, Smith and Clemens. It’s pretty clear that Pennington won’t be getting much playing time on Thursday and Clemens has become a known commodity through three solid preseason games. That leaves Tui, Smith and rookie Brett Ratliff to take the bulk of snaps against the Eagles (though Mangini wouldn’t confirm any of it, pure speculation). Tui will be the Jets third quarterback, but the question is whether they will keep three “traditional” QBs or go with Smith as the third-stringer without the active roster designation. Decisions will be made after Thursday’s game, most likely.

The Ravens released G Keydrick Vincent. Hmm. Anyone know a team in need of a starting-quality guard? Vincent is 29 and was due to earn $1.6 million. If the Jets brought him in at that rate, they’d not only have a replacement for Pete Kendall, but would save themselves $100,000 as Kendall was due to make $1.7. I’d be willing to take the hundred large off their hands as a finder’s fee if the Jets are interested. Vincent played RG in Baltimore.

Oh, and Mangini addressed the fact that Curtis Martin still has a locker in the Jets facility. The reason was pretty simple.

“Because he’s Curtis,” Mangini said. “He’ll always have a locker in Jets fans’ hearts.”

Sappy. But true.

By Tom Rock

On the other side of the chopping block were a handful of players who were not only surprisingly still around, but perhaps surprised even themselves with their staying ability (if only for a few days). They had various reactions to suiting up for another practice, as well as the thinning of the herd. The Jets are down to 75 players and need to reach 53 by Saturday. For many who survived this round, the next cut will be the unkindest.

LB Andre Wadsworth, trying to mount the mother of all comebacks after six years away from football and twice that many surgeries, was able to put the cutting process into perspective. “It’s the nature of the business,” he said. “It’s not really emotional. It happens. It’s not the end of the world. If they were going off to death row, it would be a different thing.”

(A quick aside: Wadsworth has not missed a practice this training camp and said "the battle is already won." In other words, just getting this far in his comeback is more than he could have imagined.)

The idea that RB Alvin Banks is still on the team after not playing in two consecutive preseason games had his head spinning with double-negatives and contradictions. “I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, but I don’t think I’m not surprised either,” he said of sticking around. “I was holding my breath. I’m holding my breath now until they make those cuts sometime soon. You can’t really get comfortable.”

It’s certainly not comfortable when you’re not fighting for a job and not playing in the games. His primary competition for the third RB position, Danny Ware, is the team's leading rusher in the preseason (150 yards on 38 carries).

“I don’t know what’s going through the coaches’ minds, I’m just hoping I’m here when it’s all said and done,” Banks said.

While Banks and Wadsworth are aware of their own precarious place on the roster, some refuse to think about it. Anthony Schlegel was a third-round pick at LB a year ago and could have trouble making the team this season.

“I can’t control any of that so I don’t even think about it,” he said. “Not even a thought.”

Schlegel said he thinks he’s had a good preseason, even if his reps aren’t many.

“When I’ve been given opportunities, I’m doing my job,” he said. “That’s all I can say.”

By Tom Rock

The Jets released their cut list:

DE Darrell Adams (from Bay Shore and Islip), WR Tim Dwight (who was PUPped all training camp), DL Zarnell Fitch (if you share a jersey number, you can't expect to be around long), RB Tony Hollings (brought in to fill Cedric Houston's spot but was never given much PT), CB Rayshaun Kizer (a.k.a. Verbal -- watch "The Usual Suspects" if you don't get it), WR Dante Ridgeway (who was brought back after he was released early), OL Nick Smith (played as bland as his name) and WR Juan Wong (if two Wongs don't make it right, Juan Wong has no chance).

Went into the locker room for the first time today. A few observations:

It's freezing in the rookie room, probably 10-15 degrees colder than the main locker area. With so many of those guys just bodies on the roster, maybe the Jets are treating it as a "meat" locker.

Pete Kendall's locker was cleared out. Tim Dwight's was pretty well cleaned. Their names were quickly taken off the spot above their belongings. But Curtis Martin still has his name on the plackard and plenty of stuff in his locker, including a practice uniform. Are they holding out hope?

It was very un-Jets-like to release the roster moves before they absolutely had to. Teams have until 4 p.m. tomorrow to get down to 75. The Jets are there right now ... assuming they don't bring in a guard in the next few hours.

DB James Ihedigbo walked through the locker room with a heavy cast on his right wrist. He was waived last week. I'm thinking he didn't hurt himself falling out of his treehouse between then and now.

By Tom Rock

I’m holding back and reserving judgment on the 3-4 defense this preseason. True, the fact that Jonathan Vilma has not recorded a tackle in two games is a little scary.

But it occurs to me that, just as the Jets are holding back about 50 percent of their offensive playbook, they might be doing the same with defense. Mangini has had an entire off-season to figure out ways to get Vilma free – and remember, he was pretty active in the first preseason game against the Falcons (when he was credited with one whole tackle). I wouldn’t be surprised to see Vilma have a very big day on Sept. 9 when he’s sprung loose through a series of stunts and gadget coverages. He’s too good of a player to be handcuffed by the system.

That said, if things don’t turn around for Vilma against the Pats, or at least early in the regular season, it may be time to reconsider. And by reconsider I mean figure out if the Jets want to keep Vilma or the 3-4. It’s difficult to find the logic in a system that neutralizes some of the best players on the defense (Vilma, Robertson, Ellis) in order to make Bryan Thomas a playmaker.

By Tom Rock

HELP WANTED

NFL franchise looking for starting-caliber left guard. Experience a plus. Must be able multi-task (i.e. block in pass protection and in front of running backs). Discipline a must. Those prone to holding or jumping offsides will not be considered. Come in now and skip the two-a-day interview process. Send resume and film clips to The New York Jets, attn: M. Tannenbaum. Looking to fill the position within two weeks – facing a hard Sept. 9 deadline – but would prefer time to bring proper candidate up to speed.

By Tom Rock

Just a few quickie notes from pre-game here at Gi@#%$ Stadium:

There have been no announcements made, but judging from warm-ups, CBs Justin Miller and Andre Dyson and RB Thomas Jones will not be available. None of them were dressed. Look for Darrelle Revis to start at CB with David Barrett.

Jacob Bender was taking pregame reps with the first team. Gulp. We'll be keeping a close eye on him. Word is that his father drove his Harley to the game. Hope he had a pre-paid parking pass.

I'm over in the visiting side of the press box, so I can't chit-chat with Staple and Glauber. It's a pretty different vantage point from over here (though I've been here for Red Bulls games before). A few of the Jets writers have elbowed their way into the Giants side. I'll stay here and spread out.

The Jets are the visiting team and are wearing white over white.

Glauber is on TV. He's wearing white under pinstripes.

By Tom Rock

OK, we got both Tannenbaum and Kendall. Apparently they’ve kissed and made up, because they had mostly nice things to say about each other.

“It’s the business side, the distasteful side,” Kendall said of the mudslinging that came out in the last few months. “The hard feelings are gone, the situation is settled.”

Kendall sounded about as relaxed as I can ever remember hearing him (shout-out to J.P for being our liaison with the Skins and getting the conference call up and running). I think he’s still a little stunned and numb that this all happened. According to the people I spoke with, it’s not the result Pete was rooting for. He really wanted to stay with the Jets. He just wanted his million bucks.

“Obviously there was a miscommunication, a misunderstanding,” Tannenbaum said of the alleged handshake agreement he and Kendall had in regard to his $1 million raise. Kendall had often said Tannenbaum told him his request was “not unreasonable.” Tannenbaum would not respond to those claims.

While Tannenbaum said there were things he learned from this episode, he was reluctant to admit that he would have done anything differently.

Tannenbaum was adamant that this trade was not about Pete running his mouth every day, or the prospect of him doing so for the rest of the season. It was about the value they received in return, he said. Whether that value will turn out to be as good as, say, the draft pick they received for John Abraham which was used to take Nick Mangold remains to be seen. But with what could be a fifth-round pick next year or a fourth-round pick in 2009 – which seems an awfully long time from now, the Jets could have two Super Bowl titles by then! – it’s a gamble.

Of course, it’s unlikely Pete will still be playing at the same level, if at all, when the 2009 draft comes around. By then, when we’re all signing Hosannas about how great that 07 draft was with Jacob Bender as the steal of the century, this trade will look like solid gold.

Right now it’s a little hard to tell. Pete’s contribution to this team was immense, and not just as a player. He’ll be missed in the locker room, in the meeting room, and definitely on the press room. If the Jets can somehow plug his on-field gap with someone solid – and it seems unlikely to be anyone on the current roster – then they can move on. But as soon as middle linebackers start blitzing past Bender or defensive tackles start hitting Thomas Jones in the backfield because Adrien Clarke couldn’t block them, the questions of whether or not trading Kendall were worth it will start to surface.

Tannenbaum can talk about salary caps and future considerations and the whole picture all he wants. If left guard becomes a handicap for this year’s team, it’ll be hard to sell this as a good trade. At least for the time being.

By the way, Pete said “thanks” to all the Jets fans in his farewell address. Just thought I'd pass it along.

By Tom Rock

I’ve been told to be more “self-indulgent” in the blog, give more of a behind the scenes play-by-play. Se here’s what we’re doing as we come up on 5 p.m. on Thursday.

We’re sitting and waiting. And no one is exactly sure what we’re waiting for. There is a feeling that Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum may come down to answer questions shortly. They moved Mangini’s lecturn out of the way in anticipation of that event. Then there’s a bubbling sentiment that we’re going to get Kendall on a conference call sometime this evening. He has a busy day in D.C., what with undergoing a physical (which he passed), meeting with Skins coaches (Gibbs said earlier that he liked Kendall’s versatility and that he could play center or even tackle, which should go over well with the big guy), and meeting the Washington press corps. Andrew Gross said Washington hasn’t heard a Boston accent like his since JFK.

Anyway, we’re waiting … for something.

By Tom Rock

Just finished talking with the team and figured I’d drop a few soundbites. In general, the players were sad to see Pete go but happy for him that he apparently got what he was looking for.

From Nick Mangold, the Jets center who is Harry Potter to Kendall’s Dumbledore: “One of the greatest things about Pete is that he is a teacher and he helps with a whole bunch of guys. It’ll be tough not having that kind of teacher around, but now it gives us a chance for one of us to step up and take on that role of helping out the younger guys and moving forward with our offensive line.”

From Chad Pennington: “It’s the business side of the NFL. Things like this always happen. The only thing I hope is that it works out for him and he feels good about the whole situation and everyone can move on … Pete did an excellent job last year. We had a relatively young group with two rookies starting, and he along with Brandon Moore and Anthony Clement did a great job of leading those guys. But we all know the NFL is about change, there’s constant change. Everytime you look or read or hear something there’s change going on and this is part of it.”

From Brandon Moore: “I took a lot of things from him. He came to this team when I was just becoming a starter and I took a lot from him. Just watching him go about his business and being a pro and learning how to approach every week, that’s what I’ll take from Pete.”

From Wade Smith, a candidate to play at left guard: “Shocked wouldn’t be the word for it. It’s a situation that’s been going on for a while. Something was going to happen one way or the other. We just have to move on.”

By Tom Rock

Okay, things have calmed down long enough here for me to update the blog. It’s been a fairly crazy morning, as you can imagine, dealing with the Jets trade of Pete Kendall to the Redskins for a fourth-round pick in 2009. The trade took shape late last night and was/is contingent on Kendall passing a physical in Washington. Kendall had been sidelined by a shoulder injury in recent days. Imagine if that derailed this deal and he was sent back to the Jets? Now THAT would be a story!

Anyway, Mangini confirmed the trade at his morning presser, but he had little else to say about it. He wouldn’t say which team initiated the talks, which started fairly recently. He wouldn’t say what the Jets were getting in return. And he wouldn’t say that Kendall was traded more for being a PITA to the organization than for his on-the-field play.

We were able to watch the first 30 minutes of practice today, and the Jets did almost everything in their power not to put together a full offensive line during that period. It did look as if Jacob Bender was playing at the starting left guard spot, though. Mangini said Bender, Adrien Clarke or Wade Smith would likely play there for now, though he did not rule out bringing someone else in to take over. The league requires teams to slice their rosters down to 75 players by Aug. 28 and 53 by Sept. 1. They’re probably hoping there are a few serviceable guards to pick up from the pile.

Another note from practice: Justin Miller started the workout with full participation, running and jumping and even dancing. This after he worked on cutting and back-peddling yesterday. Still, when practice really started to kick into gear, Miller retired to the exercise bike. Andre Dyson, another Jets cornerback who has been sidelined by injuries lately, looked very slow and limpy while going through some drills. I’m not sure either one will play on Saturday night, but if I had to pick one to be ready it would be Miller.

We go out to talk with the boys in a little while. Plenty of folks want to talk to Bender. I think the entire offensive line was requested. I’ll be back with some updates this afternoon.

By Tom Rock

It's not much of a surprise to anyone who has stuck their head in the Jets merchandise tent this summer, but the Jets will wear throwback Titans jerseys when they host the Eagles on Oct. 14.

The franchise was known as the Titans from its inception in 1960 until they became the Jets in 1963. "Gang Navy Blue and Gold" will also welcome some former Titans players at the game, including Don Maynard and Curley Johnson. They were Titans who also played in Super Bowl III. Mangini joked that they were even looking into playing the game at the Polo Grounds.

Brings up an interesting point, though. Why not have the Jets play one final game at Shea before they blow the mother up? How cool would it be to have the Jets play there in the middle of the 2008 season, after the Mets are done with it so as not to impugn the lovely sod. Say, an early November game against the Dolphins? I know these things take forever to get NFL approval, but it might be worth looking into. It would also endear the Jets further to the LI fans which they will be leaving for their new Florham Park facility.

Pelzman just noted that, if it is indeed throwback day for the Jets, Mangini should publicly disclose injuries just as they did in the 60s.

Let's hear from you fans ... would you want to see the Jets play one last game at Shea?

By Tom Rock

Brett Ratliff did such a convincing job of impersonating Eli Manning for today’s scout team, he even ripped Tiki while trotting off the field.

Just kidding. And while I’d like to take credit for the line, it was actually from Jets PR guy Dave Tratner.

Hope Jerry Mackey had enough home cooking because the Freeport product was traded to the Bucs today. Tampa Bay, which had signed Mackey and released him in the spring, recently put two of their LBs on IR. They gave the Jets an undisclosed draft pick, probably a conditional that won’t be much higher than a 6. Still, considering the Jets picked Mackey up off the street, it’s a nice cash-out for them.

Just came back in from the raining practice. It was pretty miserable out there. The only sunshine was in the sadistic smile Mangini wore. He even made his family stay out in the rain after practice. The man knows no limits!

Two of the top blog topics here – injuries and Pete Kendall – merged today as the Jets backup center, backup guard was sidelined for the second half of practice with his right shoulder taped up. He rode the bike. He was definitely not faking because the only thing worse than practicing football in the rain is not practicing football and riding the stationary bike in the rain. By the end of the workout he had the wrap taken off.

The Jets also had Andre Dyson sidelined with a pretty significant limp. Dyson hasn’t been 100 percent healthy all camp, and although he had worked his way back to the starting unit, he always looked a little dinged up. His absence left the door open for Darrelle Revis to take snaps with the first unit. More on that in tomorrow’s paper.

The Jets may not be so thrilled with Mike Nugent, given that they held an open tryout at his position yesterday. Actually, it was one of those little contests Mangini has every so often and LB Eric Barton was able to put a 20-yarder through the uprights to win some sort of team enticement. Probably a few less meetings or something. Nugent said he gave Barton a few quick pointers before his kick. They must have worked.

On the last regular series of practice, Ray Ventrone missed an interception he should have had and made an interception he shouldn’t have. First the former Patriot who Mangini touted as a special teams bomber earlier in the week dropped a Kellen Clemens pass that would have ended the two-minute drill and the workout. Later, on the final snap with time running out, Ventrone seemed to catch the ball in the end zone and then dropped it in an attempt to look as if he had knocked it down. The officials called it an incomplete, but it sure did look a lot like an interception and a fumble. So much so that G Adrien Clarke picked the ball up in the end zone and spiked it for what could have been the game-winning touchdown.

By Tom Rock

Eric Mangini must have woken this morning, heard the drip drip drip of rain on his window, and smiled. He was still in a good mood when he came into the press room to meet with us around 1 p.m. Forget about calling him the Penguin, Mangini loves the rain so much maybe he should be known as The Duck.

“I think it’s great: cold, hot, snow, wind, rain, hail. Whatever it is. Noise. The more distractions you have, the tougher it is, the more pressure that the group can be under collectively.”

Me, I’ll be under my umbrella rather than pressure.

Mangini didn’t have much to say on the Michael Vick plea deal, other than saying it’s “obviously unfortunate for everybody involved.” That’s a much better response than earlier in the preseason when he inadvertently mis-spoke and said that the Jets condone animal cruelty.

I have to run out to practice, but Mangini had some good analysis of some plays that occurred in practice last night. He was able to find film from previous games in which similar plays proved costly to teams. He was able to give details of plays from as far back as 2000. “You can tell they left scars,” he said.

I’ll post more when I dry off from practice.

By Tom Rock

I just left the practice field where the team was having a post-practice practice. In other words, they were doing some individual and team work that wasn’t covered in practice proper. You’ll never guess who was working on his shotgun snaps.

That’s right! Mr. Kendall. Had about eight footballs lined up and was snapping each one to a staffer. While I’m sure Kendall wasn’t unhappy about his poor snaps against the Vikings, especially if they reduce his time at center, I’m sure he was slightly embarrassed. He’s a pro and a proud player. And it looks like he’s working at getting better.

The thing about Kendall is this: How can the Jets keep him and have him play center or guard without paying him? It would seem to me that after every so-so game, every missed block, every seemingly lackadaisical trot off the field, he’d be questioned as he has been the last few days about the possibility of tanking those snaps. Do I think he botched them on purpose? No way. Do I think some people think he botched them on purpose. You bet. As long as this contract issue lingers, there will always be a shadow of doubt on whatever Kendall does on the field.

Speaking of linemen who want new contracts, Brandon Moore doesn’t have a new deal yet but he seems to have a new shirt. His crisp, white 65 jersey stood out today. Either it’s new or it got a good bleach bath.

Darrelle Revis had his first bad practice. First he muffed a punt. Then he wasn’t on the field when he was supposed to be for a nickel package, causing the 10-man defense to call a time out and get him out there. While playing nickel, he looked a little bewildered trying to keep track of the Jet receivers who were in motion. His coverage was OK, but it looked like his head was spinning a bit tonight.

On the injuries: Justin McCareins tweaked his left leg on a play and was a bit shaken up, but he seemed to be fine. Chansi Stuckey spent another practice on the bikes. Justin Miller participated in some team drills and some individual work while wearing his helmet and shoulder pads. Look for him to be fully integrated into practice in the next day or two.

They just opened a Chipotle restaurant across the street from Hofstra. Not only is the food there awesome, but I’m told that a lot of the players – particularly the Ohio State guys – love the burritos. So you might happen to run into Nick Mangold, Mike Nugent, Adrien Clarke or Anthony Schlegel if you stop by at the right time. Sorry about that, Victor Hobson and David Harris, the place seems to be Buckeye Country.

FYI: Wednesday’s practice, the last of training camp, has been moved to 12:15, and the Jets (all of them) will sign autographs afterward. They took down the JetsFest stuff, so don’t expect to climb the obstacle course while waiting for your autograph.

By Tom Rock

No, he didn't go nuts, cursing at reporters. You'll see what I mean by "flips out" in a minute. But to start with ... Yikes!

A lot of emotions come flowing out when the topic is Chad Pennington and his job security. I’d hate to think what some of those comments might have been had I actually suggested that Clemens be named starter. All I’m saying is that Chad’s performance is of concern and the Jets are likely considering several down-the-road scenarios, one of which is that Pennington stinks on Sept. 9.

Thanks to Katie Strang (now Katie the Long-term Intern, who has signed on for 18-36 months, just like Michael Vick) for filling in yesterday. It must’ve been a relief to her not to be toting around that hefty video camera. A pen and a notepad won’t warble your back like those cameras do.

Eric Mangini said he was disappointed by this morning’s practice, even though many people seemed to be having a good time. There was QB coach Brian Dabol strumming an air guitar to Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” during team stretching, and Pennington doing his best Nadia Comaneci impression by pulling a sommersault over the blocking pads. Chad even dazzled with some fancy footwork, jiving to a Ray Charles tune.

And then offensive line co-coach Mike Devlin was having a good time dropping passes while playing running back during a drill. To his credit, Devlin looked just as good as Danny Ware, who had the dropsies himself today. Hey, the Jets are still looking for that third RB. Maybe Devlin can make a Wadsworth-like comeback.

A number of people got healthy this weekend, which may have more to do with the first round of cuts scheduled for Aug. 28th than their healing powers. Joe Kowalewski and Stacy Tutt were both back on the field, as was Drew Coleman (who had an interception late in practice). Still out was Thomas Jones, who made the progress of jumping from the arm bike to the regular bike but still looked to be walking with a strong limp. And Justin Miller must be close to returning. He’s been jogging and jumping for a few days now but remains on the sideline.

Added to the infirmed today was Chansi Stuckey, who injured his right knee. Laveranues Coles nearly left the field when he rolled his right ankle while skidding on the muddy field. He came up slow, tried to sprint off the field to show he was OK, but had to slow down and limp the last stretch of turf. He had the ankle wrapped and returned to practice. By the end he seemed OK.

By Tom Rock

Here’s why I think the Jets are concerned about Chad’s performance last night: Because they weren’t saying so.

It took Mangini about a dozen sentences to mention Pennington’s interceptions in his opening remarks after the game. I asked Kellen Clemens if, as a backup, it’s part of his job to keep the pressure on the starter when he struggles, to keep the gap closing. Kellen usually laughs off questions about him and Chad being in competition. Last night he just said that he was going in to try to move the ball and usher the offense down the field.

About the only one who directly addressed Chad was Chad, who said he felt the mistakes he made can be fixed “in a heartbeat.” He later said that he wasn’t so much concerned as disappointed.

But there are other things at play here. Chad has not been sharp in practices lately, throwing a number of interceptions in the hurry-up drills during the last week. He did not throw any passes in the opening preseason game and will probably not play very much in game four against the Eagles, so he’ll have to cram a preseason’s worth of preparation into next week’s Giants game. And let’s not forget, Pennington is coming off a season in which he threw a career-high 16 interceptions.

Now, Thomas Jones was not there to help the offense (though how much of a dent he could have put into the thick Vikes’ defensive front is debatable; in two games against them last year he had 86 yards on 30 carries). And the Jets were stressing the pass early this week, almost as much as they stressed the run last week. And there was no chance for Chad to make adjustments and avenge his mistakes as the game progressed.

Chad Pennington will be the starter when the Jets face the Patriots on Sept. 9. But here’s the question every Jets fan should be asking themselves, and it’s one that Mangini might very well be pondering at this moment:

If Chad has a similar first-quarter performance in that first game against New England, at what point will Kellen Clemens take off his baseball cap on the sideline and start warming up?

By Tom Rock

There are two people on the rain-soaked field here at Gi@%&$ Stadium right now, and they are practicing something that will likely never happen in a game this year. Kellen Clemens is throwing passes to Sean Ryan. They look pretty wet. But I guess they’re having fun. A month from now Clemens will probably be back to his clipboard and Ryan will be blocking. Enjoy it while it lasts, boys, even through the monsoon.

Darrelle Revis was on the field earlier and working with secondary coach (but primary in our hearts) Mike McIntyre on some footwork for his drop-backs. Not sure, but I’m guessing this is Revis’ first time here at the Meadowlands. He’s very unlikely to play tonight – the Mangini Mystery remains in place for players such as Darrelle, T. Jones and J. Miller – but at least he’s with the team. I think I read where the final two years of his contract are voidable if there’s a 35 percent chance of showers at gametime tonight. Let’s see what this weather brings. Still about two hours until kickoff.

Here's the long-awaited official statement from the Jets:

NEW YORK JETS SIGN CB DARRELLE REVIS

(August 15, 2007) -- The New York Jets have signed defensive back Darrelle Revis, the team’s first-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. The announcement was made by Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum.

Revis (5-11, 204, Pittsburgh), the 14th overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft, finished his three-year career at the University of Pittsburgh with 129 total tackles, eight interceptions and four touchdowns. He was a semi-finalist for the 2006 Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back. Revis became the first player in school history to return an interception for touchdown in consecutive games. The Aliquippa, PA, native also led the Big East with 324 punt return yards.

By Tom Rock

Darrelle Revis is a Jet. Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum made the announcement at about 8:50 p.m. tonight. Revis is already attending team meetings and has a playbook. He'd passed the conditioning run and his physical in the morning.

Revis looked relieved to be a Jet after 20 days without a contract and a few tense days waiting for the final bumps to be hammered out of the deal. Will he play on Friday? What do you think? Should he play on Friday?

By Tom Rock

Just an FYI: The Jets staff is busily removing the daily rations of food from the press room and setting up a dais at the front of the room. Looks like they have something to announce. Hmm, wonder what it could be.

I know I've said this before but ... stay tuned.

By Tom Rock

And still … nothing. He was not on the field for practice and no one from either side is talking as of now. They’re probably sleeping after a long night. Still, we’re hopeful of learning something new by the end of the day.

So let’s talk about practice. Population in the injury zone increased by one today as Kimo von Oelhoffen found himself on an exercise bike with his right knee heavily taped. Somehow, the Jets managed to practice without him. Sticking with the pain brigade, Eric Smith is still sporting a pretty heavy limp while Justin Miller is looking almost ready. He was jogging around the fields with Drew Coleman and Joe Kowalewski during practice, and before the workout he was able to jump up to catch some awkward passes from PUP-py Matt Chatham. Stacy Tutt looks to be making progress with his foot injury. And Thomas Jones – You remember him, right? He was the big story before this Revis stuff heated up – was working that hand bike, spinning straw into gold. He had a rather cumbersome wrap on his right leg after a few days without anything there.

Mangini said he’s using all of the injuries so that the staff can practice making game-day decisions on availability for this week’s preseason game against the Vikings. Lemon into lemonade, I guess. “I think with that whole group, it will come down to where they are right up to game time, very similar to a regular-season game,” Mangini said. “You try to simulate that process because you have a lot of game-day decisions about injuries in the regular season. Obviously, just like then, we’ll be smart about it and make the best decision. But that’s another good thing to go through procedurally.”

With Revis still unofficial, the Jets may have found a new punt returner. DT Sione Pouha caught a punt from Kellen Clemens at the end of practice that gave the players the rest of the night off. We were able to speak to some of the coaches today – very briefly – and I asked Mike Westhoff about Pouha’s catch. He said the Jets “probably” wouldn’t use him in a game. But he didn’t rule it out!!!

Andre Dyson, perhaps feeling the pressure of Revis’ imminent signature, made an interception on a badly thrown ball by Chad Pennington in the hurry-up portion of today’s practice. Dyson had been very hot and cold this training camp, making some nice plays but also getting beat a lot. The CB who’s having the best camp so far is probably David Barrett. And Rutgers product Manny Collins hasn’t looked all that bad.

Yes, we spoke to the coaches today. I don't think Mangini likes it. "I know that you guys are excited about that, probably about as excited as I am about it," he said, smiling. I'm sure the staff was told what they can and cannot talk freely about.

Safe topics: the current weather conditions, the passing of Phil Rizzuto, and whether A-Rod will be a Yankee next season.

Unsafe topics: football.

Here’s a written soundbite from the Schottenheimer interrogation:

Question – “Brian, do you guys need to run the ball better this year?”

Answer – “Mm-hmm.”

Tight-lipped, literally and figuratively.

There were a few other things that may or may not make it into the paper in coming days, weeks, months. Brian spoke about being flattered by the Dolphins approaching him for their HC job over the winter, Bob Sutton said having Revis miss the three weeks of training camp is similar to having a player miss it with injury, or when a guy is traded and comes in late. RB coach Jimmy Raye had off-season back surgery and was recovering in North Carolina when the Jets acquired Jones. He said the surgery has really put a strain on his golf game. And Danny Quinn, the defensive line coach and former Hofstra assistant, spent some time with me catching up on how many former Hofstra coaches have gone on to bigger and better things. Himself included.

By Tom Rock

Just finished the Mangini press conference. Still no official stamp on the Revis deal, though the fact that Mangini referred to the player by name is as much a sign to me that this thing is done. Speculation is that the contract is so filled with bells and whistles – those “creative solutions” Tannenbaum touted – that it could take some time for the deal to become approved.

Mangini said he’s excited about the prospect of getting Revis on the field. But, he said, he hasn’t instructed Mike to go out and buy party hats and noise-makers.

Mangini also said he had a meeting with Revis’ mother last night and they had a nice chat. Maybe mom gave up some embarrassing childhood stories that Eric can use to humble the cornerback at the rookie talent show. “I remember when Darrelle got his head stuck in the banister…” or “Darrelle loved to run down the street naked when he was four years old…” Anyway, the deal is so close to finished that Revis’ mom headed back to Pittsburgh.

Just keeping you updated …

By Tom Rock

“Still at it.”

That’s the word from Jets PR guy Bruce Speight when asked if the boys (Tannenbaum, Schwartz and Feinsod) are still hammering away on the Darrelle Revis deal. Last night they were optimistic and had made substantial progress. This morning, well, no deal is in place just yet. In a joint statement last night, the trio had expressed plans to "meet through the night and our intent is to meet until an agreement has been reached."

Right now it’s 11:40. Practice starts at 2. Looking more and more as if the first glimpse of Revis on the field will come as he stands on the sideline during Friday’s preseason game. Maybe Herzog WILL get to write the first Revis practice story on Sunday anyway!

By Tom Rock

Sounds like Ari Nissim and Jacqueline Davidson have come up big for the Jets. Are they the latest quarterback-receiver combo? The projected starting running backs with Thomas Jones sidelined? No.

They are, respectively, the Director and Manager of Football Administration for the Jets. And GM Mike Tannenbaum just came down to the press room to provide an update on the Darrelle Revis negotiations, and he credited Nissim and Davidson for concocting the “creative solutions” the team used to bring their first-round draft pick to the brink of Jets-ness (the contract should be finalized tonight or tomorrow morning). Maybe their jerseys will be for sale at the Jets merchandise tent tomorrow. The number 24 will likely be taken by then, though.

“For the last 10 days to two weeks, I’ve challenged them to come in with new ideas every day, to come up with solutions that are good for Darrelle and good for the Jets,” Tannenbaum said.

By the way, Tannenbaum and Revis’ agents, Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod, ordered from the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. You may have heard on one of the radio interviews this afternoon that deciding on the dinner menu was one of the great compromises of the day-long negotiations. Apparently Tannenbaum wanted to eat at 6 o'clock and the Revis camp was holding for five. Most of the other first-rounders taken around Revis eat at 5. No word on how Nissim and Davidson split the difference there.

Tannenbaum didn’t say anything too different from his earlier comments on the radio circuit. “We’ve made substantial progress,” he told us in a brief meeting. “We have some more work to do, but I’m optimistic. We’re committed to seeing this thing through so, barring something unforeseen, hopefully we’ll have a resolution here soon.”

Asked whether Revis would be at practice tomorrow, Tannebuam said it was “premature” to speculate but “it’s certainly a possibility.” He also said that he has not seen Revis today, though some reports have him floating around the building. Hey, Curtis Martin was here today and he had a knack for finding hiding spots around the building. Maybe he was giving Revis the unofficial tour of places to get lost.

By Tom Rock

Jets GM Mike T was just on 1050 ESPN and said he and Revis' agents (there are two of them in th ebuilding right now) have made "very substantial progress" and he said they are prepared to stay at it all night until they get it finalized.

"I wouldn;t say the word guarantee, but we're going to work as long and as hard an necessary to get it finalized," Tannenbaum said.

The main sticking point of the contract had been the Jets desire to sign Revis to a 6 year deal and Revis' desire for 5. Tannenbaum said there was more than one issue, but added that the two parties have come up with "creative solutions to make this a good situation for both Darrelle and the Jets for a long time."

"We're looking forward to getting the contract behind us and watching Darrelle start practicing as soon as possible," Tannenbaum said.

By Tom Rock

Stand by for some possible Darrelle Revis news. Here's what we know: Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum has been negotiating with Revis' agent, Neil Schwartz, since this morning. And now, Mike T is scheduled to appear on the sports radio circuit, hitting 1050 at 5:40 and FAN at 6:10. Pure speculation and putting the pieces together -- there was a lot of physical buzz around practice today by Jets officials who seemed focused and anxious -- but he could be prepared to announce a deal for the first-rounder.

Stay tuned...

By Tom Rock

Figured I’d start the day with the obligatory Phil Rizzuto story. Mine is a quickie since I only met him once at an event in Manhattan in December 1999. It was some kind of 100 greatest NY athletes of the 20th Century announcement, and Scooter was one of them and on hand. I was asking him who he thought would be No. 101, in other words, who was left off the list but should have been on it. He told a great story.

He said when he first started broadcasting for the Yankees he was asked to come up with an All-Time Yankees lineup. He said he spent a few days on it, researching, comparing stats, and gathering some anecdotal accounts of each ballplayer. Finally he was ready to unveil the nine greatest Yankees.

“And would you believe I forgot Babe Ruth!” he said, slapping me on the arm. “Holy cow, how could you forget Ruth!”

Goes to show that some of those lists are arbitrary and incomplete. And it goes to show how easy it can be to overlook someone who certainly belongs on the list. That happened a lot to Rizzuto, one of the most underrated players and broadcasters ever. Hope there are lots of cows where he’s hangin’ today.

Back to the Jets.

Mangini spoke about Darrelle Revis, and from what I’m hearing it may not be long before he can actually say his name (he didn’t this morning). The sides are getting closer to a deal. I’m not hearing this specifically or even broadly from anybody, but I wouldn’t be surprised if something is not in place by the end of this weekend. Herzog will be covering for me at training camp on Sunday. Maybe that story can fall into his lap then.

Mangini also spoke about the RB situation, and it didn’t sound as if the team is going to be looking outside for another RB (good news on the Thomas Jones prognosis). Mangini still wouldn’t confirm the injury other than to call it a “lower right leg.” Adding a sliver of doubt is part of being a football coach, I guess. Asked what kind of a week rookie RBs Danny Ware and Alvin Banks should expect, Mangini simply said: “Busy.” He also noted that Brad Smith and Stacy Tutt have taken reps from a traditional tailback spot. Tutt has been sidelined since the preseason opener, so it’s nice to know he can play it if/when he returns.

Practice starts in a few and I’ll come back in and file a report after.