The Jets’ quarterback shuffle continued Saturday.
The team released Brady Quinn, but plan on re-signing him Monday.
The move is strictly a financial one. As a vested veteran, Quinn’s $715,000 salary would become guaranteed if he was on the roster at 4 p.m. on Saturday. By dumping him and bringing him back, the Jets will only have to pay him week-to-week while he is on their roster. It seems unlikely he would remain with the team once Mark Sanchez is healthy.
This leaves Geno Smith and Matt Simms as the only two active quarterbacks for Sunday’s opener with the Buccaneers. Neither of them have ever played in a regular season NFL game.
The Jets signed Quinn on Monday to add a veteran to the quarterbacks room while Sanchez is recovering from his shoulder injury. Sanchez is expected to miss at least the first two weeks, according to a source.
The Jets signed linebacker Danny Lansanah from their practice squad to take Quinn’s roster spot.
Calvin Pace knows the film study tomorrow could be a long one. That is to be expected with the Jets possibly starting two rookies and having four other inexperienced starters out there.
“With so many young guys every single week is going to be a teaching moment,” Pace said. “The preseason’s the preseason. Now, it’s real. You’re going to see that Pro Bowler playing like a Pro Bowler now.”
First-round picks Dee Milliner and Sheldon Richardson are expected to start at cornerback and defensive tackle, respectively. Throw in Damon Harrison (nose tackle), Garrett McIntyre (outside linebacker), Demario Davis (inside linebacker) and Antonio Allen (safety) and you have a lot of inexperience on the field.
The group likely will test defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman ’s patience.
“There are times where my expectations may exceed where someone is but if you’re out there performing in the National Football League, there is a reasonable expectation that you can go out and play and get your job done,” Thurman said. “It’s not about waiting. If you’re a starter and/or a backup, everybody has to be prepared to go out and do their job. So, if you understand that, and the quicker you understand that, the better success you’ll have in this league. To me it’s not about waiting. It’s about going out and getting your job done. If you understand it, which I feel like our coaching staff has done a good job of preparing our football team, then we have to go out and play.”
The Jets could have two rookies starting on offense, too, with Geno Smith at quarterback and Tommy Bohanon at fullback. If the Jets start four rookies, it will be the first time since 1979 that they have done that, according to Elias Sports Bureau. In 1979 it was linebacker Stan Blinka, guard Eric Cunningham , defensive back Donald Dykes and defensive tackle Marty Lyons.
Punt returner Jeremy Kerley set an NFL single-season record last year with 36. Special teams coach Ben Kotwica was asked what he is doing to work on lowering that number this year.
“He’s done a tremendous job,” Kotwica said. “I don’t know if there’s anybody that works on their skill, at that skill specifically, more than Jeremy has. He did an outstanding job in the spring catching the ball, an outstanding job in the training camp. I think the confidence is there as a punt catcher. The fair catch thing can sometimes be misleading. A lot of that is based upon field position and where the ball is. I mean, sometimes a fair catch is good play. I don’t dispute that. But, he’s done a great job in the training camp and I feel very, very comfortable with him back there as our punt returner.”