OTAs: Clemens Wins Day 8

[dbatesman]

From Cimini:

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/2008/05/ota-notes-its-early-but-still.html

May 28, 2008

OTA notes: It's early, but still a bad day for Chad

We’re back at Hofstra today for another OTA session. If you’re keeping score at home, this is the eighth OTA, the third open to the media. Let’s get right to it:

• You’re probably dying to hear the latest on the quarterback competition, and here’s what I can tell you: This wasn’t a good day for Chad Pennington. In a passing drill (with no defenders), he came up well short on a 15-yard ‘out’ route, his ball bouncing a few yards before the receiver. That was with a slight wind in his face, but it still was ugly. Moments later, with the wind at his back, Pennington bounced a 20-yard out and, perhaps overcompensating, badly overthrew his next pass, another 20-yard out, to Laveranues Coles. The wildness was somewhat stunning because Pennington usually is such as accurate passer.

Once they got to the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, Pennington and Kellen Clemens were relatively even. They both went 4-for-6 in the 7-on-7 portion, with Clemens hitting Jerricho Cotchery for about 21 yards. Pennington found David Clowney for 25 yards, but the ball was underthrown and he made a nice adjustment. Later, Pennington almost had a ball picked off, as S Abram Elam got his hands on a ball to TE Jason Pociask.

In the 11-on-11, Pennington delivered the highlight, a 22-yard TD pass to Cotchery, who beat CB Drew Coleman. It came on a nicely executed play fake by Pennington, who lofted a nice touch pass in the back of the end zone.

What does it all mean? Not a heck of a lot. Remember, it’s only May and they’re not in pads yet. Eric Mangini provided an interesting QB anecdote in his news conference, noting that coach Brian Daboll gave each QB a voluminous book (a “tip sheet,” Mangini called it) at the start of the offseason. The book is tailored to each quarterback, breaking down last season’s performance and ways to improve.

So I asked Mangini which quarterback has the biggest book. I wasn’t trying to make a double entendre, honest.

“I don’t know if size totally matters,” Mangini deadpanned.

• Outlined against a blue May sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore, they are known are famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases: Their real names are Jones, Washington, Chatman and Smith.

Sorry, about that, but I was channeling my inner Grantland Rice. Obviously, I’m referring to the Jets’ crowded backfield, which gained a new pair of legs yesterday with the signing of former Ravens RB Musa Smith. I asked Eric Mangini the thinking behind the Smith acquisition, and he immediately mentioned Smith’s ability on special teams. Smith also can play running back and fullback, the kind of versatility the Jets like.

It’ll be interesting to see how things play out in the season. Obviously, Thomas Jones is the No. 1 back, but Leon Washington, Jesse Chatman and Smith will be battling for the leftover scraps.

• Former Patriots OLB Rosevelt Colvin, released in February, reportedly told Sirius radio yesterday that the Jets and Browns are showing interest in him. Mangini wouldn’t divulge much, except to say they haven’t brought in Colvin for a workout and/or physical, but my information is that the Jets are not interested. With Calvin Pace, rookie Vernon Gholston, Bryan Thomas and David Bowens, it’s actually one of their deeper positions.

• Still no Gholston in camp. He’ll be eligible to participate on June 6, when the Jets have their mandatory minicamp. Their top pick remains at Ohio State, unable to practice with his new team because of NFL and NCAA rules.

• In addition to running backs, the Jets should be stockpiling wide receivers, too. It’s the thinnest position on offense, with no “sure things” beyond Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery on the depth chart. Brad Smith, slowed by an undisclosed injury, still hasn’t proven he can be a major contributor. Chansi Stuckey showed some promise last preseason before a foot injury ended his rookie year, but he’s a question mark, having injured the same foot the last two years. Rookie H-Back Dustin Keller can be a quasi-receiver, but they still need to add another veteran to the mix.

• A couple of lineup notes from practice: CB Justin Miller replaced David Barrett with the starting defense, working opposite Darrelle Revis … Barrett and Andre Woolfolk, making his spring debut, played with the second team. Woolfolk also got some time as the nickel. He’s an interesting guy: A first-round pick of the Titans in ’03, he was released last preseason with a bad hamstring injury. He’s finally healthy, looking forward to re-establishing himself …. Brad Smith didn’t participate in any of the receiver drills … S Artrell Hawkins still is slowed by an undisclosed injury … To help improve their ball-catching technique, the punt returners are required to keep rolled-up towels under their arms. That prevents them from reaching and catching the ball away from their bodies.

• Mangini said he’s planning to call or text disgruntled TE Chris Baker, who is boycotting the OTAs because he wants a new contract. I’m not sure how much that is helping, though. Baker wants more money, not pleasantries from the coach.

• Tomorrow is another media day at OTAs, so get ready for more.

From Boland:

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/blog/2008/05/ota_fever.html

OTA Fever

OTA practice session No. 8 is in the books. Let’s go to the video tape:

1. Chad Pennington - working with the 2s as it was Kellen Clemens turn to go with the first team - did not have a good day. In one seven-on-seven drill sequence, the veteran bounced a 12-yard out to Paul Raymond, came up short on a 20-yard out to David Ball and overthrew Laveranues Coles on a sideline “go” route. Later, David Clowney made a nice adjustment on an underthrown Pennington pass down the left sideline.

Pennington did finish the practice strong. He threw a perfect 22-yarder, against the strong breeze that blew most of practice, to Jerricho Cotchery in the end zone and two plays later made a strong throw on a sideline out to David Ball. Clemens, though not as impressive as last week when he threw the deep ball very well, had his moments, highlighted by a 30-yard sideline throw that hit Coles, covered well on the play by Hank Poteat, in stride. All was not perfect, though, as a bit later Clemens missed a wide open Wallace Wright, who had torched Andre Woolfolk coming off the line, on the sideline and instead dumped the ball underneath to Cotchery. In a competition that is still VERY early, chalk up this day to Clemens. During Thursday’s practice, which we’ll also get to see, Pennington will work with the first team. As an aside, Cotchery looked good, regardless of who was throwing him the ball.

2. David Barrett was NOT the starting corner opposite Darrelle Revis as he was the previous two weeks. No, today it was the athletic Justin Miller, whose workload each week of OTAs has increased. So, for today (Wednesday), your starting defense looked like this: Revis and Miller at the corners, with the rest being the same as the last two weeks – Eric Smith and Kerry Rhodes at the safeties and a front seven comprising Shaun Ellis, Kris Jenkins and Kenyon Coleman up front, with Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas as the outside linebackers, and David Harris and Eric Barton on the inside. Cornerback Andre Woolfolk, limited the last two weeks, saw time with the second team and also worked some as the nickel back.

3. Brad Smith was again limited, though not as much as he was last week when he spent 95 percent of the practice we saw on the exercise bicycle. Today Smith ran a handful of routes in some passing drills – though not in the 11-on-11s – and was back to holding on some field goals. This was the capacity in which he contributed two weeks ago so there seems to be some progress with his undisclosed injury, which made Smith a virtual spectator last week. At the end of a post-practice interview with Kellen Clemens – we were talking about Chansi Stuckey’s offseason thus far – I asked Clemens what Smith’s injury was. Clemens had a horrified look on his face [Jets players are forbidden to discuss their own injuries, let alone anyone else’s], before he realized I was joking. The man has a sense of humor. The PR man standing nearby, David Tratner, I'm not as sure about.

4. Thomas Jones looked solid catching several screen passes and then accelerating. Jones received the majority of carries, followed by Leon Washington. Musa Smith, signed to a contract late Tuesday afternoon, was used both as a blocking back and a ball carrier. Both Jones and Washington looked to be hitting their holes between the tackles quickly, though remember, these are non-contact drills, making running back evaluation difficult for obvious reasons. Still, little things can be gathered.

5. Rookie receiver Marcus Henry saw significantly more action than last week’s OTA practice that we observed. Henry today ran primarily short routes over the middle and did not have any drops. He doesn’t seem to have great speed but his hands don’t look to be a problem.

6. Mike Nugent missed a 48-yard field goal and 53-yarder back-to-back, but against the wind ended the practice by knocking through a 58-yarder. Just before that kick, Mark Myers delivered on a 53-yarder. And that leads us too…

7. This one, which is dedicated to Capt. Rich: in the Ben Graham vs. Jeremy Kapinos battle for punter, Wednesday was Kapinos’ day. Against the wind that gusted at times, Kapinos had the better share of good kicks. Graham rebounded after an early-practice kick against the wind that went no more than 20 yards but Kapinos, while getting away his share of below average kicks, avoided any outright shanks.

8. James Dearth was the primary long-snapper after spending the last two weeks mostly in the “limited” category. He still spent some time on the exercise bicycle but not as much. Will Montgomery again got some time at long-snapper.

9. Hofstra’s Shawn McMackin, a 6-3 287-pound offensive lineman who earned a contract after being invited to the rookie minicamp, saw some time with the third team at center and guard. Robert Turner, listed at 6-4 and 308 pounds, also worked at multiple positions on the offensive line.

10. Danny Woodhead, who muffed three kicks last week, didn't drop one ball.

11. And back by popular demand – and by that I mean me –is a return of last week’s feature: the Eric Mangini comedy moment of the day: Mangini, while discussing the “correction binders” all the quarterbacks get [essentially, it’s a compilation of things to work on], was asked if it was a bad thing to have a binder that increased dramatically in size from one week to the next. The exact question: who to this point has the thickest book?

“I don’t know,” Mangini said with a smile and a slight pause. “If size totally matters.”

Probably best to leave it there for now.

[BroadwayJ667]

sounds to me like the wind gods are telling Chad to give it up

oh and both writers suck at toilet humor

[Jetkid94]

sounds to me like the wind gods are telling Chad to give it up

LOL!

[Arsis]

Chad Pennington sucks! this proves it!

[Barton]

Remember when ecurb told me Chads play hasnt diminished since 2002 and that he can throw the out route as good as anybody as evidenced by the youtube clip of Chad throwing a 5 yard dumpoff to the TE?

Yeah, ecurb sure won that debate eh. Good times.

[Iowa Jetfan]

Sounds like Penny's really feeling the pressure, but I'm not too sure about Washington competing with Smith and Chatman, I mean this should be a no brainer, right?

[124]

[Barton]

Where is that little runt ecurb? I still cringe when I think of how poor and ridiculous his logic was in the JN Debate I had with him.

That whole thing was seriously embarassing. note to self: never debate with a lunatic again

[Gainzo]

Where is that little runt ecurb? I still cringe when I think of how poor and ridiculous his logic was in the JN Debate I had with him.

That whole thing was seriously embarassing. note to self: never debate with a lunatic again

He will pop up at some point and post the video of Chad throwing the 50 yard pass to Coles last year in the Cincy game to "prove" that Chad has a strong arm.

I believe he has mentioned that play about 3 thousand times.

[Boozer76]

Ecrub won't show up now. He'll wait patiently until Chad has one decent practice. Then he'll be here telling us all how Chad is great And Tangini are a couple of idiots. He just has to wait till the breeze dies down so Chad can throw.

[Gainzo]

Ecrub won't show up now. He'll wait patiently until Chad has one decent practice. Then he'll be here telling us all how Chad is great And Tangini are a couple of idiots. He just has to wait till the breeze dies down so Chad can throw.

[flgreen]

J-Co, Safeties Make Some Plays at OTA

Published: Wed, May 28, 2008 - 1:45pm EST

By Randy Lange

Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.

File Under: Chad Pennington, Jerricho Cotchery, Kellen Clemens, Kerry Rhodes, Brett Ratliff, Abram Elam, Bubba Franks

change font email article

05/28

[Maxman]

Its not exactly a good sign when a 15 yard out route falls short.

What I want to know is how he under threw it by 20 yards.

[flgreen]

What I want to know is how he under threw it by 20 yards.

One of the OL passed gas just as Pennington released

[124]

What I want to know is how he under threw it by 20 yards.

Dude, this is Chad Pennington. Chad Pennington giveith, Chad Pennington takeith away.

[ECURB]

Chad then overthrew a 20 yard out...

He has the arm you fools... you cant have it both ways...

He throws it short... he has no arm

He throws it long... he has no arm...

Makes no sense...

He just wasnt accurate today.

[124]

He had ONE throw that he overthrew and it was a 20 yarder. Are you serious Ecurb? I would hope any NFL Quarterback would be able to throw the ball 20-30 yards. Yeah, he overthrew a 20 yard pass, good for him. What the article fails to mention is that he had a running start and it took 10 seconds for it to get there.

Like I've said before to you ecurb, anyone can muster up enough strength for a couple of throws a year. Its the point that he doesn't have the strength to get it into tight spaces or throw the deep ball consistently.

[Arsis]

One of the OL passed gas just as Pennington released

was that a gay sex joke?

[raffyD]

I may be getting a little sentimental but I found that article, specifically the portion about Chad's underthrows, to be extremely depressing. I know Chad got his payday, we don't owe him anything, etc.... but I just found that part to be a real bummer. It sounded like Chad won't even be able to really compete because his arm is shot and his career is over.

I'm not a rah-rah Chad guy or anything but I guess there was still a small part of me that thought maybe, just maybe, he could make a 'magical' comeback and lead us to the Superbowl. Now I'm thinking he should just retire and become a coach.

It's sad when the hope is gone for a player you rooted for.

[ECURB]

He had ONE throw that he overthrew and it was a 20 yarder. Are you serious Ecurb? I would hope any NFL Quarterback would be able to throw the ball 20-30 yards. Yeah, he overthrew a 20 yard pass, good for him. What the article fails to mention is that he had a running start and it took 10 seconds for it to get there.

Like I've said before to you ecurb, anyone can muster up enough strength for a couple of throws a year. Its the point that he doesn't have the strength to get it into tight spaces or throw the deep ball consistently.

20 Yard out... thats not just a piece of cake throw... thats why teams practice it so much.

The ball goes almost twice that distance in the air and sometimes across the QB's body...

Either way... you cant call Chad weak armed due to today... just inaccurate.

[raffyD]

Chad then overthrew a 20 yard out...

He has the arm you fools... you cant have it both ways...

He throws it short... he has no arm

He throws it long... he has no arm...

Makes no sense...

He just wasnt accurate today.

That's just it, Chad has always been accurate if nothing else. Yet last year, and now this spring, we're seeing an increase in him being inaccurate. Why is that? QB's don't just become inaccurate, usually it's the other way around (they get better).

I think it may be that his arm really is shot and he's trying to do things he thinks he can do but his arm just isn't responding the way it used to. Injuries are a bitch, they don't discriminate and they leave lasting effects (physical and psychological).

I wish Chad luck but I don't see him as the starting QB for the Jets anymore.

[Gainzo]

I may be getting a little sentimental but I found that article, specifically the portion about Chad's underthrows, to be extremely depressing. I know Chad got his payday, we don't owe him anything, etc.... but I just found that part to be a real bummer. It sounded like Chad won't even be able to really compete because his arm is shot and his career is over.

I'm not a rah-rah Chad guy or anything but I guess there was still a small part of me that thought maybe, just maybe, he could make a 'magical' comeback and lead us to the Superbowl. Now I'm thinking he should just retire and become a coach.

It's sad when the hope is gone for a player you rooted for.

I know where you are coming from. Although the situations are different I was a huge Drew Bledsoe fan. When he went down and Brady took over it was a tough pill to swallow for me and just about every other Pats fan.

But winning has a way of changing things. I still have the page from the Boston Globe that said, "Thank you Pats fans" that Bledsoe took out when he was traded to the Bills.

Unfortunately for you the Jets don't have a Brady and seem reluctant to trade Chad to so you have to watch his decline while he is still on the team.

[Sperm Edwards]

Interesting that the underthrows were conspicuously absent from Lange's official team summary.

[raffyD]

I know where you are coming from. Although the situations are different I was a huge Drew Bledsoe fan. When he went down and Brady took over it was a tough pill to swallow for me and just about every other Pats fan.

But winning has a way of changing things. I still have the page from the Boston Globe that said, "Thank you Pats fans" that Bledsoe took out when he was traded to the Bills.

Unfortunately for you the Jets don't have a Brady and seem reluctant to trade Chad to so you have to watch his decline while he is still on the team.

Well said. Some winning would be nice to turn the page on this. In the end, I would like to see Chad accept his fate and restructure his contract to be the team's #2 qb/qb coach for the foreseeable future. I think he's bright and can teach the up and comers a lot. I know Sperm always jokes that he doesn't want Chad's sissy ways to infect the younger qb's but I think he has a lot to offer young qb's. JMO.

[Gainzo]

Well said. Some winning would be nice to turn the page on this. In the end, I would like to see Chad accept his fate and restructure his contract to be the team's #2 qb/qb coach for the foreseeable future. I think he's bright and can teach the up and comers a lot. I know Sperm always jokes that he doesn't want Chad's sissy ways to infect the younger qb's but I think he has a lot to offer young qb's. JMO.

Only if he accepts his role as a backup. Bledsoe never did and that was why he was traded to the Bills (that shows how much faith BB had in him).

I have nothing against players thinking that they should start. Thats just being competitive, but to think you are still a viable player after two shoulder surgeries and sub par stats is beyond the realm of competitiveness.

[Sperm Edwards]

Bledsoe was traded because he had tremendous trade value and had a monster contract. If he was cheap and no one offered more than a 4th-5th rounder the Pats would have kept him for at least another year.

[Gainzo]

Bledsoe was traded because he had tremendous trade value and had a monster contract. If he was cheap and no one offered more than a 4th-5th rounder the Pats would have kept him for at least another year.

I don't think so. If some team offered the Pats a 4th rounder for Bledsoe I have no doubt that BB would have made the trade.

There is nothing worse than having a disgruntled former starting QB on your roster.

I can't recall the exact details but wasn't Joe Montana traded/released after Steve Young took over in San Fran?

[Barton]

Chad then overthrew a 20 yard out...

He has the arm you fools... you cant have it both ways...

He throws it short... he has no arm

He throws it long... he has no arm...

Makes no sense...

He just wasnt accurate today.

You are seriously embarassing yourself.

[Jade Green]

I admire the fight in you ecurb2369.

[Barton]

I admire the fight in you ecurb2369.

We all admire him, really. I'm sure its not easy battling retardation.

(ecurb wears a helmet when he posts)

[L.S. Dylan]

The optimist that Chad is, I know he said, "Kellen, you may have won this battle, but you'll lose the war."

[NJ]

Interesting that the underthrows were conspicuously absent from Lange's official team summary.

Yes... almost like it was 2 different days of practice..... <slurp....slurp...you're going to tap me on the back of head before you.......arent you Chad?>

This accurate passer crap is so very very old. The completion #'s are worthless as we know what kind of completed passes they were, who they were against, and how they never translated into enough points against a better than avg defense. Take your back up job Chad, STFU, and like it.

[Irish Jet]

I would rather hear that KC was winning because of great play from himself. It's bad news that he's winning because of weak competition.

[Jade Green]

We all admire him, really. I'm sure its not easy battling retardation.

(ecurb wears a helmet when he posts)

Sounds like first hand experience, to me.

[Sperm Edwards]

I don't think so. If some team offered the Pats a 4th rounder for Bledsoe I have no doubt that BB would have made the trade.

There is nothing worse than having a disgruntled former starting QB on your roster.

I can't recall the exact details but wasn't Joe Montana traded/released after Steve Young took over in San Fran?

Joe Montana was 37 when he was traded to KC and hadn't hardly played for the prior two seasons. Montana was injured/backup for two full seasons before they traded him.

Further, Montana was traded for the 18th overall pick, starting SS David Whitmore, and the Chiefs' 3rd round pick. SF would have been crazy to turn that offer down with Young tearing the league a new one for two dozen games those prior 2 years.

Bledsoe was 30 when he was traded to the Bills and was the starting QB that season until he got hurt (BB appropriately stuck with his hot hand).

Next, Bledsoe was on the hook for what was (then) the richest contract in NFL history. The NFL was well-entrenched in the salary cap era by that time. When Montana was traded prior to the 1993 season, there was no salary cap (it began in 1994).

Not at all the same thing.

And lastly, there is no way they would have traded Bledsoe for a 4th round pick. Kraft even turned down a 2nd rounder from the Bills (that would turn into a 1st rounder only if Bledsoe started at least 12 games and the Bills went to the playoffs).