Content available exclusively for subscribers
Here is yet another OTA notes package from JC publisher Dan Leberfeld. You don’t want to miss it . . .
There has been some speculation about whether Kevin O’Connell has passed Eric Ainge on the quarterback depth chart.
It certainly looked that way at the last two OTA practices open to the press.
During the team session of practice on Thursday, Brian Schottenheimer yelled, “I need the second team offense in there with O’Connell.”
Unfortunately for O’Connell, on the first play of this drill, he threw a pick right to David Harris.
O’Connell also had the nicest completion of practice, a perfect strike to Dustin Keller down the deep middle.
As we have said before, O’Connell seems to have Donovan McNabb Disease where he’s better at throwing downfield than throwing short.
This O’Connell-Ainge decision probably hasn’t been made yet. It will likely be made up in Cortland.
But a monkey wrench could be thrown into this battle if Mark Brunell is signed.
It’s unlikely that the Jets will keep both O’Connell and Ainge on the roster this season, like they did in 2009. But even if Brunell is signed, if Sanchez is hurt for a number of games, the team might go to O’Connell or Ainge instead of Brunell for a longer stretch . . .
Jim Leonhard had some University of Wisconsin coaches at practice as his guest . . .
Vernon Gholston got some reps with the starting defense at defensive end. That is surprising. At this point, he’s not ready to start at his new position and Roe-pot-tee Pi-toe-ee-two-ah is the better defensive end. Rodrique Wright probably is as well at this point. Gholston is a brand new 3-4 end. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
I forget to mention a note from last week’s practice. Pitoitua blew by right tackle Damien Woody for a quarterback pressure. He showed a tremendous burst on the play for a 6-8, 310 pounder.
Rex stop playing games with Gholston. Play the best players . . .
Ezra Butler had another nice play in practice with a near pick. This guy is pretty good, but could get a raw deal in a numbers game . . .
Matt Slauson was ahead of Vlad Ducasse as the starting left guard during the team part of practice today . . .
Keller got chewed out by his position coach Mike Devlin for a poor block. This was on the same play that Bart Scott and Darrelle Revis had a collision that must have made Mike Tannenbaum’s hear skip a beat . . .
Marquice Cole had another impressive play with a PD on a crossing route intended for Aundrae Allison. This guy can play. The Ravens should keep any eye on him. They need a cornerback and he knows their system . . .
ILB Josh Mauga had an impressive PD over the middle near the goalline …
Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes weren’t on the same page on a seam pass down the left hashmark. Sanchez threw it to a spot and Holmes kept running. This is another reminder that Holmes is still in the rudimentary stage of learning the offense . . .
Darrelle Revis is hell bent on getting more money than Nnamdi Asomugha, the economy be damned. Until the NFL player realize our troubled economy is a big reason why teams are holding down contracts, no CBA is going to happen. And not a lot of long-term deals are going to get done.
What is wrong with Darrelle Revis “settling” for $13 million per season? If they gave him that number, he would be the highest paid Jets by by far . . .
Here is the problem for Nick Mangold – $3.33 million for 2010 isn’t a terrible contract considering the current climate. There are a ton of really good players around the league who are probably going to be forced to play for one-year tenders this year in that ballpark, like fellow offensive lineman Logan Mankins and Marcus McNeill.