Newsday re QB controversey 1/8/08

[Kentucky Jet]

Tannenbaum: I expect Pennington to return

BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

January 8, 2008

Most teams try to avoid a quarterback controversy. The Jets seem to be relishing one.

General manager Mike Tannenbaum said yesterday that he expects Chad Pennington to be with the team next season, even though the eight-year veteran was benched midway through the 2007 season in favor of second-year pro Kellen Clemens. That would set up a may-the-best-man-win competition - the second such situation for Jets quarterbacks in three years - when the team takes the field for training camp in July.

"We'll listen to anything," Tannenbaum said, referring to potential trade offers from quarterback-hungry teams, "but I expect Chad to be back."

Pennington has said he wants to be an NFL starting quarterback, and he expressed those sentiments to Tannenbaum recently when the two had a season-ending conversation. Pennington had touched on the possibility of returning to the Jets and dueling Clemens for the starting job while cleaning out his locker last week.

"That is certainly a scenario that I have already experienced," he said, referring to the 2006 training camp, when he won a four-way competition that included Clemens, then a rookie. "It wouldn't be a level of shock or something that I don't know how to handle. I do have confidence in that, if that were a scenario that I was faced with. I would feel comfortable with that because I have been through that before."

During the second half of the season, Eric Mangini repeatedly said Clemens gave the Jets the "best chance to win." In fact, three of the four victories came with Clemens as the starter. Most assumed that with Pennington's hefty price tag for 2008 - he's due $4.8 million in salary and will count $7.8 million against the salary cap - he would be traded or released. But Tannenbaum, who made his name in the league as a salary-cap guru, said he's comfortable having Pennington where he is. The Jets are estimated to be about $27 million under the cap.

"I don't see the economics driving any decision right now with him being here or not being here," Tannenbaum said.

The announcement that Pennington likely will return and compete for the starting job is a blow to the progress of Clemens. He seemed to have nailed down the job late in the season, but clearly the Jets are unsure whether he will give them the best chance to win in 2008.

"One of the hallmarks of the program that Eric and I want to be known for is the best players will play," Tannenbaum said. "Actions speak louder than words."

Schotty chirps with Ravens. Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer met with Ravens officials, including owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Ozzie Newsome, for several hours yesterday as a candidate for the vacant head-coaching job in Baltimore. The list of potential candidates slimmed with the announcement that Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski signed a contract extension in Cleveland. Marty Schottenheimer, a longtime NFL coach and Brian's father, also has been contacted by the Ravens. He reportedly told the team he prefers not to be interviewed until the later phases of the search to find a replacement for fired coach Brian Billick.

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[4HCrew]

hopefully the Jets get him shipped out of here by the draft...I cannot take a whole offseason of this nonsense

[Kentucky Jet]

hopefully the Jets get him shipped out of here by the draft...I cannot take a whole offseason of this nonsense

I strongly agree with you. I'd love to draft ERIK AINGE in rd 3. Last year the JETS went with TUI & Kellen. Two inexperienced QBs to back up a QB with a history of injuries. I smell a smokescreen by Tannenbaum. I also wonder if we will see a real QB competition in camp or if they will annoint CHAD as our starter if he does stay. That is what they did last year even though KELLEN outplayed him in camp! Ya gotta wonder: SOJ!

[NIGHT STALKER]

I strongly agree with you. I'd love to draft ERIK AINGE in rd 3. Last year the JETS went with TUI & Kellen. Two inexperienced QBs to back up a QB with a history of injuries. I smell a smokescreen by Tannenbaum. I also wonder if we will see a real QB competition in camp or if they will annoint CHAD as our starter if he does stay. That is what they did last year even though KELLEN outplayed him in camp! Ya gotta wonder: SOJ!

Weren't you the one that use to bash me on the Green House board because I said early on Pennington wasn't the answer...and didn't you have in your signature IN CHAD WE TRUST and he'll lead us to the SB! Here's another for you to bash me on...Clemens ain't the answer either. I said it early on with Pennington and I'm stating my stance with Clemens as well.