Sperm Edwards Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 CHARGING CHAD UP TO CHALLENGE By EVAN GROSSMAN RISING ROOKIE: Jet OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson had a pair of pancake blocks yesterday. August 2, 2006 -- Chad Pennington hasn't won the starting quarterback job back yet. But those rooting for him to make it all the way back from two shoulder surgeries should be encouraged that through the first few days of training camp, he hasn't lost it either. Pennington turned in another solid practice yesterday morning and tossed a TD pass to WR Brad Smith in 11-on-11 drills, earning more praise from first-year head coach Eric Mangini. "I have been really happy with Chad's progress," Mangini said. "He has strung together some good practices." Brooks Bollinger worked with the first unit, as per the rotation Mangini set, and the QB job remains wide open. Pennington remains right in the thick of things and may actually have an advantage in the high-profile position battle. "The competition has been fun," an upbeat Pennington said. "Every day it's a new challenge. Every day you're at a new spot on the depth chart and it mixes up. You have to be on your toes at all times because you never know when you're going to get called. That's what it's like in the regular season; you never know when your number is going to be called, so you always have to be ready." * While taskmaster Tom Coughlin cut Giants practices short after 90 minutes yesterday, Mangini gave the Jets no breaks in the sweltering heat with the morning session going 2:32 and the evening session - which featured loud music played during stretching and two-minute drills - went 2:43, with players in shoulder pads and shorts. Today the Jets are scheduled for one practice at 2 p.m. during the hottest hours of the day. The forecast calls for the heat index to be over 100 degrees again. "We'll monitor that," Mangini said. "We will talk about it with the medical staff and the coaching staff and definitely take a look at it.'' * Mangini's staff isn't shy about jumpstarting players' motors, and they got the normally laid-back D'Brickashaw Ferguson going during 1-on-1 drills yesterday when he responded with a pair of pancake blocks. "There are a lot of guys who need to be prodded," Mangini said with a wry smile, "and we are prodding.'' * The Jets signed DB Jovon Johnson and waived LB Will Thompson ... CB David Barrett is day-to-day with a leg injury, Mangini said ... There is no change in Curtis Martin's PUP status. evan.grossman@nypost.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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