NFL

Jets’ Jenkins on field again

While various contract squabbles swirled around them, the Jets were buoyed yesterday by nose tackle Kris Jenkins’ return to the practice field.

Jenkins, sidelined since last October by a torn ACL in his left knee, participated fully in workouts for the first time since the surgery and pronounced himself none the worse for wear.

“It’s almost like a reward for everything that I’ve done so far and all the work I’ve put in,” Jenkins said of participating in the first day of a three-day minicamp. “Now I know I’m on the right track and should be ready to go when training camp rolls around.”

Jenkins, who is competing in a weight-loss competition with coach Rex Ryan and offensive lineman Damien Woody, also has gotten noticeably thinner, but wouldn’t reveal exactly how much. The team continues to list Jenkins at 360 pounds.

Ryan said the Jets would proceed cautiously with Jenkins, who got some breathers in the morning practice and didn’t take part in 11-on-11 drills in the afternoon.

“We’re just kind of breaking him in slowly,” Ryan said.

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Mark Sanchez went through a full practice yesterday morning and pronounced his surgically repaired left knee good to go.

The Jets are proceeding cautiously by holding Sanchez out of 11-on-11 drills in the two afternoon practices of this minicamp, but they are encouraged by his apparent progress.

Sanchez did not wear a knee brace and looked fluid.

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The Jets might be having second thoughts about going with rookie second-round pick Vladimir Ducasse at left guard in place of recently released Pro Bowl vet Alan Faneca.

The team had second-year pro Matt Slauson working with the first team instead of Ducasse, a native of Haiti, and a UMass product who has only played football for eight years. He practiced with the second team.